Forgotten history bogalusa, louisiana deacons for defense. Deacons for defense providing security, nonviolent civil rights protestors would not have been successful. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner, christopher britton, ossie davis, jonathan silverman, adam weiner, and marcus johnson. The story follows the formation of local black men, particularly exwar veterans who after the struggles become too overbearing organizes the group, deacons for defense, an allblack defense group dedicated to patrolling the black section of town and protecting its residents from the more violent aspects of white backlash. See more of deacons for defense and justice on facebook. This documentary film was shot in 1965 in natchez, mississippi and first released in the fall of 1967. On february 21, 1965the day of malcolm xs assassinationthe first affiliated chapter was founded in bogalusa, louisiana, followed by a total of 20 other chapters in this state, mississippi. Amid the torrent of backlash against kim burrell over her antigay. Bogalusa deacons for defense and justice robert hicks. The deacons for defense and justice was created in jonesboro, louisiana by earnest chilly willy thomas and frederick douglas kirkpatrick, to protect the congress of racial equality core against ku klux klan violence. Only watching the movie, though, gives the impression that the deacons were a local movement that never gained much traction outside of a single town in louisiana. Come and experience your torrent treasure chest right here. The deacons for defense university of north carolina press.
They were factory workers, farmers, common laborers, fathers. The deacons for defense and justice, an armed african american selfdefense group charged with protecting local black communities and civil rights volunteers, was organized in july. The organization was made up of black veterans from world war ii, who believed in armed selfdefense. The klansmen on one side and the deacons on the other. Sims, president, bogalusa chapter, deacons for defense and justice, conducted by william price, reporter for the national guardian newsweekly, on august 20, 1965, in bogalusa, louisiana. Thats because hicks is the son of robert hicks, a prominent leader of the legendary deacons for defense and justice an organization of black men in. Deacons for defense and justice forgotten heroes of the. In his deacons for defense, lance hill directs long overdue attention to the deacons for defense dfd and what he rightly calls, the myth of nonviolence. The deacons for defense and justice in louisiana the concordia. The deacons intended to spread throughout the north and the west but were ultimately unsuccessful because their tactics were less effective outside of the south.
Deacons for defense and justice, a black selfdefense organization that had. The deacons for defense and justice had faced death and never. I found the chapter on the deacons for defense and justice especially. Cobb documents the crucial role that armed self defense played in protecting the. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed africanamerican selfdefense group founded in november 1964, during the civil rights era in the united states, in the mill town of jonesboro, louisiana. Very nice new york times obituary of robert hicks, one of the leaders of the deacons for defense and justice in louisiana in the 1960s.
The television film stars forest whitaker academy award. Deacons for defense is a 2003 american television drama film directed by bill duke. This is the true story of a group of african american men who took an aggressive and armed stand in the fight for civil rights. They were members of the deacons for defense and justice, a black selfdefense organization that had already engaged the klan in several shooting skirmishes. Deacons for defense provided protection when no one else would. Although armed deacons could be found in communities across louisiana and mississippi in the mid1960s, the chapter to which hicks belonged quickly was.
This is a simplistic account of how the deacons for defense came about. The deacons for defense and justice is an armed africanamerican selfdefense group founded in november 1964, during the civil rights era in the united. Just click on the download link magnet icon of your choice, and your browser should automatically open up your default torrent client and start downloading. Based on a story by michael dantonio, the teleplay was written by richard wesley and frank military. Deacons for defense internet movie firearms database. The chicago chapter of the deacons for defense and justice was formed by earnest thomas, vice president of the jonesboro chapter, in 1965.
Washington post columnist courtland milloy marked this years martin luther king day with an appreciative column about the deacons for defense and justice. In 1964 a small group of african american men in jonesboro, louisiana, defied the nonviolence policy of the mainstream civil rights movement and formed an armed selfdefense organization the deacons for defense and justice to protect civil rights leaders and black and white core civil rights workers from vigilante ku klux klan and police violence. Hicks was a leader of the deacons for defense and justice in the 1960s, a grassroots selfdefense force that protected civil rights workers and africanamericans trying to register to vote and. Selfdefense group united to protect black communities 1 posted by jae jones september 7, 2019 black power, latest posts. A second branch was started in bogalusa, louisiana, the following year. Forest whitaker, chris britton, jonathan silverman, ossie davis, gene mack, tyrone benskin, paul benjamin, mpho koaho. The deacons for defense provided protection for people participating in protest marches in mississippi in 1966. With public attention, and the attention of the fbi focused elsewhere, the deacons lost most of their notoriety and slowly declined in influence. An important corrective to popular simplifications. The deacons for defense and justice is an armed self defense african american civil rights organization in the u. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner, christopher britton, ossie davis, jonathan.
Magnet links are easy to use if you have a good bittorrent client. The deacons for defense and justice was formed by africanamerican men in jonesboro and bogalusa, louisiana, and natchez, mississippi. Fact based movie stars forest whitaker and ossie davis, the former as the founder of the deacons of defense and justice ddj and the latter as a peaceful minister trying to prevent the unavoidable violence that will follow. In 1964 a clandestine armed selfdefense organization formed in the black community in jonesboro, louisiana, with the goal of protecting civil rights. In reality, it was a multistate movement and was actually started before the semifictionalized account in. Deacons for defense is a 2003 showtime movie that was inspired by a true story of a group of african american citizens of bogalusa, louisiana, who took up arms to protect themselves from the kkk and the local law. Inspired by a true story, this madeforcable drama is set in 1965, not long after passage of the civil rights act. Historically, the organization practiced selfdefense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out by jim crow laws. Based on a story by michael dantonio, the teleplay was written by richard wesley and frank military the film is loosely based on the activities of the deacons.
The deacons for defense and justice national archives. The deacons for defense and justice was founded in 1964 in jonesboro, louisiana to protect civil rights activists from the ku klux klan. Standing in the street only a few feet from the klan, was a line of grim, unyielding black men. Deacons for defense tv movie 2003 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. From that day forward, said burris, we didnt have too many more problems. In 1964 a small group of african american men in jonesboro, louisiana, defied the nonviolence policy of the mainstream civil rights movement and formed an armed selfdefense organizationthe deacons for defense and justiceto protect movement workers from vigilante and police violence. In 2003 the activities of the deacons was the subject of a 2003, deacons for defense documentary. Panache report myra panache reports blk celeb obituary part two. With the whole world watching, these men changed forever their lives, their town, and their country. The film stars forest whitaker, jonathan silverman and ossie davis and was directed by bill duke. In 1965 the fbi began investigating the deacons for defense and justice until early 1972 when the organization became inactive. The words black power bring back memories of names like stokely.
Deacons for defense and justice the volokh conspiracy. With forest whitaker, chris britton, jonathan silverman, ossie davis. Historically, the organization practiced selfdefense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out under the jim crow laws by localstate government officials and racist vigilantes. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed selfdefense africanamerican civil rights organization in the u. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner. The africanamerican selfdefense organization was founded in february 1965 as an affiliate of the founding chapter in jonesboro, louisiana, to protect activists working with the congress for racial equality core, others advancing the civil rights movement, and their families. Deacons for defense is the almost forgotten but true story of a group of african american men who boldly took up arms against the ku klux klan.
This took place during freedom summer, 1964, right after the civil rights act had become law. Fbi files relating to the deacons for defense and justice. Although set in the deep south, the movie was actually shot in ontario using many. The deacons for defense and justice was a group founded in jonesboro, louisiana, in 1964 to organize men to. The deacons for defense and justice was a group founded in jonesboro, louisiana, in 1964 to organize men to guard the homes of activists and to protect them while they traveled. The deacons for defense and justice freedom archives. There were no passive sitins for the deacons of defense. A good example of how second amendment rights were used to protect fourteenth amendment rights. Americas 1st freedom deacons for defense and justice. The deacons were mostly black veterans of world war ii and the korean war. The film is loosely based on the activities of the deacons for defense and justice in 1965 in bogalusa, louisiana. Its a provocative look into the heart of a courageous and progressive radical movement during one of the most turbulent times in american history. We recommend using utorrent because it has full support for these links.
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