The Greatest Threat: Black Panthers 68-71
Wednesday August 26th - 7:30PM
Brecht Forum
451 West Street, New York, NY 10014
In August of 1970, George Jackson's younger brother Jonathan attempted to free the Soledad Brothers by storming the Marin County Hall of Justice. Four people died, including Jonathan. In August of 1971, George would be killed in San Quentin prison for supposedly attempting to escape the prison, just days before he was to go on trial. These are just two events out of many in the history of African American struggle in the United States that gave the month its name "Black August."
The Black August Organizing Committee came into being 30 years ago to honor, and work to free, African American political prisoners. Our program takes a look at a number of films produced by, with, and on the Black Panther Party during some of their most potent years, 1968-1971. The final film is about the funeral of George Jackson.
BLACK AUGUST:
--Huey! - Sally Pugh, 1968, 30 minutes
--Bobby Seale - Newsreel, 1969, 15 minutes
--Black Panthers in Chicago - Videofreex, 1969, 24 minutes
--The Death of a Revolutionary - World in Action, 1971, 25 minutes
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 94 minutes | Digital Projection
Discussion with:
--Thomas "Blood" McCreary - member of the Black Panther Party (New York Chapter) and the Black Liberation Army
(The Sally Pugh film can be purchased on DVD (2006) from International Historic Films. All of the Newsreel films are available from Third World Newsreel. The Videofreex archives are currently being preserved and distributed by Video Data Bank. Network in the UK released a (PAL) 2-DVD set (2005) of twelve "World in Action" programs from 1967-1991.)