Race and Culture
13 essential social justice-themed films of the 2010s
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Here’s our picks of films from the past decade that reflect the political, social and cultural upheaval that have shaped the times we live in now.
Perspectives
J. Edgar Hoover’s revenge? Information the FBI once hoped could destroy Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has been declassified
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The allegation that King witnessed and encouraged a rape is a serious one, but it’s also important to consider the politics behind the FBI’s surveillance and the agency’s long history of targeting black activism and policing sexuality.
Perspectives
Martin Luther King Jr., women, and the possibility of growth
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The fabled civil rights leader’s treatment of women bears re-examining in the #MeToo era, as King demonstrated the capacity to evolve before his life was cut short.
Perspectives
How Ida B. Wells finally got the recognition she deserves in Chicago
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The civil rights pioneer’s great-granddaughter recounts how grassroots support and social media made the difference in honoring Wells in her adopted hometown.
Perspectives
After the Dan Ryan shutdown, we need to march to the polls
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The mass protest against violence will only be effective with repetition, negotiation and voting for specific demands.
Black History Month
When the Red Cross didn’t accept black blood
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It took years of protest and activism from African-Americans, beginning in World War II, for the Red Cross and others to desegregate blood donation programs.
Black History Month
The women who laid the groundwork for black nationalist movements
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History often overlooks the critical contributions of black women activists who shaped pre-civil rights era politics and organizing from Jamaica to Chicago.
Chicago Freedom Movement 50
The Chicago Freedom Movement’s quest for economic justice
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Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign in the north sought to bridge the civil rights movement with labor organizing.
Race and Culture
In Chicago, Dick Gregory cultivated fame and activism
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The late comedian set the bar for black celebrities taking a stand on civil rights by risking arrest and lost income for causes throughout his life.
Perspectives
Trump’s executive order builds on history of racist immigration policies
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The United States has excluded immigrants on the basis of race or religion for over a century, and advocates have had mixed results in challenging such discrimination.