"The Reconstruction of Asa Carter" Offers a Bizarre Tale of Literary Fraud

Free screening of new documentary set for Sept. 27

WOOSTER, Ohio, Sept. 12, 2011 – The Education of Little Tree, first published in 1976, was a critically acclaimed bestseller, billed by author Forrest Carter as a memoir of his Native American childhood. There was just one problem: the book was a complete fabrication, and Forrest Carter was actually Asa Earl Carter, a notorious white supremacist, Ku Klux Klan leader, and speech writer for Alabama governor George Wallace.

This bizarre tale of literary fraud is the subject of “The Reconstruction of Asa Carter,” an hour-long documentary that will air on PBS stations nationwide next year. On Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m., The College of Wooster will present a free screening of the documentary in Lean Lecture Room of Wishart Hall, 303 E. University St.

Jeff Roche, associate professor of history at the college, was interviewed extensively for the film and appears in it. He, director Marco Ricci, and co-producer Mike Fix will be on hand to answer questions following this special presentation.

The College of Wooster is an independent liberal arts college, nationally recognized for excellence in teaching and a curriculum built around mentored undergraduate research. Every Wooster senior works one-on-one with a faculty adviser to create an original research project, written work, performance or art exhibit. Founded in 1866, the college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.