The Power of Forgiveness February 22, 2010

The Power of Forgiveness is a documentary based on the one-man, two-act play written and performed by Carl Ray. The play chronicles his life growing up in Alabama. In 1962, while being questioned by a white man, Carl responded by saying "yes" and "no", instead of "yes sir" and "no sir," which was the customary response when addressing white people. Carl was severely beaten for being disrespectful. An hour later, that man went to Carl's home and shot his father eight times as Carl looked on. The play follows the subsequent trauma, depression, and denial that young Carl Ray suffered and endured for over 20 years until he met a man in 1984 that taught him about the power of forgiveness.