Director:Robert Houston
In May of 1963, students in Birmingham, Ala. marched in protest of segregation. Birmingham was known as one of the most racist cities in the South. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had described it as a “symbol of hard-core resistance to integration.” Activists had nicknamed it Bombingham, because of the frequency of violent attacks against those fighting the system of segregation. Using word-of-mouth, more than 4,000 African American schoolchildren organized to desert classrooms at exactly 11 a.m. on “D-Day,” May 2, 1963. Initiated and organized by Rev. James Bevel, the purpose of the march was to walk downtown to talk to the mayor about segregation in their city. There was a week of mass demonstrations and rioting that stunned the nation. Hundreds were arrested. The marches were stopped due to the head of police "Bull Connor" who used fire hoses to spray the children, and set police dogs to attack the children. Police tried to stop them. Yet, the children prevailed.The issue for students, was civil rights, equal treatment under the law and desegregation. The students were organized and nonviolent. Hundreds were arrested. Many children left their schools in order to be arrested, set free, and then to get arrested again the next day.
The police thought the kids would be frightened to be arrested. Instead, they were happy and singing. The kids were empowered to be a part of the solution to racism. If the adult parents were seen on the picket lines they could lose their jobs, have their cars repossessed and their homes burnt down.The children were glad to be arrested because it was their strategy to fill the jails so that national attention would be focused on the movement in Birmingham. Keeping someone fearful is a way to control that person. This movement was one step towards African-Americans losing their fear….without fear, the police and government realized they had lost that form of control. News images from that day got the attention of the Kennedy White House and with the support and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King and other civil rights activists, the children’s demonstration resulted in having an impact on the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
More than 100 eyewitnesses contributed to the storytelling, with appearances by participants and organizers James Orange, Gwendolyn Webb, James Bevel, Harry Belafonte, Dick Gregory, and Andrew Young. Richard Cohen, President and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center said;
“It is our hope that The Children’s March will inspire youth to take stands on vital human issues affecting their communities and their lives, most especially racism and the devastating impact of discrimination upon our society.”
After looking up the Children's March or Crusade I found quite a few different interviews and videos that extended the individual experiences of the students involved in the march. This short interview was from 60 Minutes. I really enjoyed this film, because it brought to light another perspective of the Civil Rights movement that I was unfamiliar with. It is amazing how organized they were: using codes in radio shows, using songs to communicate.I am astounded at how involved and interested the kids were with being a part of this movement….they showed no fear, only courage to stand up for themselves and their community.
Film:Stay Woke
Director: Laurens Grant
“Woke” is a term that originated in African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) which means something similar to being socially conscious. “Woke” can be traced back to the early sixties but became popular after Erykah Baduh’s song “Master Teacher” came out in 2008, in which she sings, “I stay woke.” “Stay woke” became an embodiment in the Black community, a way of saying “pay attention, work towards justice, don’t accept the status quo.” To be woke is to remain vigilant. Being woke is questioning the dominant media and political narratives and thinking critically about society’s power structures. The term “stay woke” became more widespread with the formation of The Black Lives Matter Movement after the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The term “woke” quickly spread out of the Black community, to allies of other races, and soon filtered out to become a “trendy” word. The word was tossed around so much that it began to lose all meaning. But being woke means more than talking the talk. Wokeness suggests both awareness and action.
Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement is an original documentary film that chronicles the unfolding of the Black Lives Matter movement through the first person accounts of local activists, protesters, scholars, journalists and others. Through this film, actor and activist, Jesse Williams encourages others to be more aware of America’s poor treatment of black lives by exploring this movement. The documentary is directed by Laurens Grant, who produced the powerful film “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” and includes interviews from some of the movement’s major participants, including Black Lives Matter co-founders Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors along with respected leaders like DeRay McKesson, Johnetta Elzie, and Darnell Moore. One quote from Williams was that the movement “stands on the shoulders of folks who stand on the shoulders of previous movements.” This movement is inspired by the remarkable work of black activists, civil rights leaders and movements of the past. Black Lives Matter is a movement that fights for the freedom and justice of black people in a world where these basic rights weren’t afforded to men and women like Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray and countless others.
“The black community has been in a state of emergency and crisis and pervasive traumatic stress disorder since 1619.”-Jesse Williams
Racial discrimination has always been a part of American history. The racial dynamics have been constantly evolving over the nation’s history. Wherever there has been racial inequality, there have been movements protesting for justice. As with the Black Lives Matter protests, the civil rights demonstrations of the 1960s included non-black activists. It was very interesting to read articles that compared these two movements. There are notable differences between the civil rights movement and Black Lives Matter, specifically the organization of the protests and how they protested. Media played a big role in shaping how the public received the methods of 1960s civil rights protesters. Today with the use of technology and social media the portrayal of the protesters can be viewed/skewed differently, sparking more controversy. Although both movements used boycotts as a tool to achieve their goals, their methods were very different. For example, After the arrest of Rosa Parks, many prominent ministers and civil rights activists gathered in person to organize the boycotts and handouts were made the following day urging blacks to stop using the city bus.The Black Lives Matter boycotts on the other hand were organized by the online campaign known as #NotOneDime. The difference in messaging strategy and technology shows the differences between the two movements. The Bus Boycott spread information through handouts and word of mouth, Black Lives Matter shared information to millions through Twitter hashtags and Facebook posts. The difference between the effectiveness of both strategies is interesting to consider. The Montgomery Boycotts was focused in just one city, yet they made a profound impact. On the other side, social media allows supporters of the Black Lives Matter boycotts to participate all over the world. Some 1960s activists have significant disagreements with what young people are doing today.
One of the first steps to being “woke” is understanding the depth of dangerous myths and how societal constructs impede on the lives of marginalized people. -Jesse Williams
After watching this film, I spent more time watching videos and reading articles to learn more about the Black Lives Matter Movement. Much of what I saw on the media was so negative. This TED talk shared what the founders learned about leadership and what gives them with hope and inspiration.They shared their personal experiences and shared the "why" behind the movement. The shared advice on how to participate in ensuring freedom for everybody: " join something, start something and "sharpen each other, so that we all can rise."
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