The Atomic Legacy viewing
Photo courtesy of Sharon Niederman and Assertion Films Bertha Nez (left), Edith Hood (center) and Jennifer Nez (right) are shown here at the Red Water Pond Community on the Navajo Nation. They are working to remove a uranium tailings pile from their sacred homeland and to spread awareness about the 1979 Church Rock Nuclear Disaster.

The Old Trails Museum is co-hosting a free event highlighting the new historical documentary series, The Atomic Legacy on Route 66. All are invited from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21, at the Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church in Winslow to view film excerpts and engage with members of the discussion panel.

Led by documentarian Katrina Parks and a team of humanities experts, the Atomic Legacy project captures the untold stories of individuals affected by the American nuclear industry, particularly those in the Southwestern and indigenous communities along Route 66. Panelists include Parks, Route 66 expert Sean Evans, scholar Kari Kussman, and interviewees Diana Boyd, Edith Hood, Jennifer and Bertha Nez, and Mark SooHoo.

In particular, the project focuses on Arizona communities like Winslow, where nuclear activities have left a lasting imprint on “downwinders” and others. The project will foster a more inclusive historical record by engaging audiences through screening-and-discussion programs and ongoing history education activities.

The Winslow event is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Arizona Humanities, the First United Methodist Church, and the Old Trails Museum. For the latest updates on all of the Old Trails Museum’s exhibits and p