This marks the fourth year that the Little Theatre will observe Black History Month in the way that the Little does best, bringing to Rochester a series of films chronicling the African-American experience, then providing the audience with an opportunity to discuss what they've seen with speakers who can offer a unique perspective.

The Little showcases three documentaries this time out, beginning with "Shadows of the Lynching Tree," in which filmmaker Carvin Eison uses the 2006 racial tensions in Jena, Louisiana, to explore the shamefully persistent symbolism of the noose. An associate professor at SUNY Brockport, Eison will be on hand for the Friday, February 19, premiere for a talkback about his project. Beth Kruvant's "Heart of Stone," which also opens Friday, tells the true story of the fall and rise of Newark, New Jersey's Weequahic High School, in 2001 one of the country's most violent schools but steered in an entirely unexpected direction by its new principal. And opening Saturday, February 20, is "Pressure Cooker," a film by Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker focusing on a trio of Philadelphia teens who find purpose and direction in their high school's culinary arts program.

Admission to all Black History Month screenings is just $5. For specific showtimes and talkback details, visit thelittle.org.