Name: The Letter
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2003
Duration: 1 min 16 s

Brief Synopsis

Cast & Crew

Film Details

Also Known As

Letter, Letter: An American Town and The Somali Invasion, The

MPAA Rating

Genre

Documentary

Release Date

2003

Production Company

CNN

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 16m

Synopsis

A firestorm of controversy erupts when Lewiston, Maine--an insulated, predominantly white former mill town struggling to maintain its equilibrium in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy--Mayor Larry Raymond sends an open letter to the 1,100 newly arrived Somali refugees informing them that the city's resources are strained to the limit and asking them to tell other Somalis not to move to the city. Interpreted as racism by some and a rallying cry by white supremacist groups across the United States, the situation sparks a cross-current of emotions and events, culminating in a "hate" rally convened by The World Church of the Creator and a counter "peace" rally involving nearly 4,000 Lewiston residents supporting ethnic and cultural diversity.