LOCAL BOY MAKES GOLD

Coming from poverty and enduring prejudice and discrimination, Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota Sioux, took up distance running at the Haskell Institute in Lawrence and later excelled at the University of Kansas, where he was a two-time All-American in cross country. Then, while serving as a first lieutenant in the Marines, he went to the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and upset Tunisia’s Mohammed Gammoudi and Australia’s Ron Clarke, who were to the 10,000 meters pretty much what the Soviets and the Swedes were to Olympic hockey. Mills’ inspirational story is told in the 1983 film Running Brave, starring Robby Benson (the Dorian Gray of his generation). Sponsored by the National Center for Indigenous American Cultures, the film screens tonight at 7 at the Line Creek Community Center (5940 Northwest Waukomis Drive, 816-513-0760). Admission is free.

Wed., July 29, 7 p.m., 2009