History Lesson

Tri-Star’s Dec. 14-debuting “Glory” is about to become the focal point of a $2-million-plus education/promotion campaign aimed at increasing student awareness of the history of black soldiers in the Civil War.

In the film, Matthew Broderick plays a young colonel in charge of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts, the first authorized, all-black volunteer regiment put into battle, according to producer Freddie Fields.

Fields said that the Kodak-sponsored promotion involves “hundreds of thousands” of educational kits--which include videocassettes and written materials--that begin going to elementary through college students this week. As many as a quarter of a million kits may eventually be handed out.

Information on essay contests related to the subject, with winners receiving a “Glory” photo album/book, is available at Kodak outlets.

“It would be foolish of me not to acknowledge this as a film promotion,” Fields said, “but the purpose does go well beyond promotion.”