Free Screening & Panel Discussion
Presented by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Southern University and A&M College, and Indie Lens Pop-Up
Free and open to the public — Pre-registration is recommended
Date & Time
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 11 a.m.
Location
Leon R. Tarver II Cultural and Heritage Center
Southern University and A&M College
8320 G. Leon Netterville Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70813
(on campus with free parking for the general public)
About The Inquisitor
The Inquisitor highlights the legacy of Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, shining a light on how her public influence shaped U.S. politics. The screening, which is in partnership with ITVS and INDEPENDENT LENS, will include open captions and an ASL Interpreter. Following the 60-minute film, there will be a 30-minute panel discussion that includes insights from distinguished Southern University professors, Angela A. Allen-Bell and Dr. Revathi Hines.
The film’s subject, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, even as she privately faced struggles few ever knew about. While Jordan’s political legacy is the center of The Inquisitor, the film also looks at her personal life, exploring Jordan's intersectional identity navigating a landscape of politics and discrimination.
After the film, panelists Angela A. Allen-Bell, B. K. Agnihotri Endowed Professor at the Southern University Law Center, and Dr. Revathi Hines, Alphonse Jackson Professor of Political Science at Southern University, will offer insights in an interactive discussion to honor Jordan’s brilliance and her contributions to American democracy, while also exploring her story’s relevance to today. The panel discussion will be moderated by Dr. Robyn Merrick, Vice President for External Affairs and University Relations for the Southern University and A&M College System.
Panelists
Revathi (Reva) Hines
Dr. Revathi (Reva) Hines is an Alphonse Jackson Professor of Political Science at Southern University and A & M College, Baton Rouge. She is an Interdisciplinary Research Leader Cohort I, Alumni. As an IRL fellow, she has conducted research exploring the links between health and housing. She also holds certification in Narrative Therapy and in Community Storytelling. Dr. Hines is keenly interested in utilizing storytelling as a conduit for empowerment and resiliency among marginalized groups in her community. She has published in the areas of equity, environmental racism and health, environmental justice movements and mobilizations, public housing, health and housing, disasters and its intersection with race, gender, and immigration and race. She has presented at national and international conferences, sits on various boards and commissions where she was reappointed by Governor John Bel Edwards as a Commission Member on Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission. Dr. Hines is also the Founding President of Red Stick Bras and All Project, an organization that addresses discrimination, stigma, and exclusion of unhoused women in need.
Angela A. Allen-Bell
Angela A. Allen-Bell is a highly respected legal scholar and expert on the interplay between race and justice. Her research catapulted the movement to end the use of non-unanimous juries in Louisiana. She is one of the founding members of the team that led the effort to reform Louisiana’s jury system through the adoption of legislation requiring unanimous juries in criminal trials in Louisiana state courts. She holds the B. K. Agnihotri Endowed Professorship at Southern University Law Center, and she serves as director of the law center’s Louis A. Berry Institute for Civil Rights, Human Rights and Social Justice. When Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards issued a posthumous pardon to Homer Plessy, Professor Bell was selected to speak as the legal historian. She is a member of the National Black Lawyers-Top 100 and the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. Professor Bell has received numerous awards, her most recent as “2026 Baton Rouge Community Leader” by the Baton Rouge Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She is the founder of The Justice Center 985, an organization that aims to educate and empower people on recognizing and negotiating systems that harm.
Robyn Merrick (Moderator)
Robyn Merrick, Ph.D. is Vice President for External Affairs and University Relations for the Southern University and A&M College System in Baton Rouge where she provides oversight to the areas of Communications, Government Relations, Special Events and the Southern University Museum of Art. At Southern, Robyn was previously Chief of Staff and served as Director of Alumni Affairs and Executive Director of the Southern University Alumni Federation where she provided leadership for the University’s 90,000 alumni. Robyn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, a Masters in Public Administration, and a doctorate in Public Policy. She has conducted and published research in the areas of women’s studies and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Robyn has served on numerous boards and as chair of several boards and currently serves on the board of directors for the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting, among several others. Robyn is committed to public service and volunteerism with more than 35 years of experience working with religious, civic, and nonprofit organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated.
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
For more than 20 years, the award-winning Indie Lens Pop-Up program has partnered with local organizations across the country to bring people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Inspired by the documentaries featured on PBS’ INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up is a space for sharing ideas and making connections that shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Since its inception in 2005, nearly half a million participants have come together at Indie Lens Pop-Up events to discuss issues that impact local communities.