Join Busboys and Poets at their Anacostia location for a discussion about When the Smoke Cleared and the legacy of the 1968 rebellions with author Kyla Sommers. An "eye-opening history" (Publishers Weekly), When the Smoke Cleared tells the story of the Washingtonians who seized the moment following the 1968 rebellions to rebuild a more just society, one that would protect and foster Black political and economic power.

Sommers will be joined in conversation by Tony Gittens, founder and director of the Washington, DC International Film Festival. Now in its 37th year, Filmfest DC brings the best of world cinema to the District of Columbia in a spirit of celebration and cooperation. He served as executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the official cultural agency of the District of Columbia, from September 1996 to July 2008, serving 3 mayors. He was a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet and represented the city's cultural interests at numerous cultural settings.