Customer Reviews

Fbi's War on Black America [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a must see movie for everyone concerned with racism. The lies and propaganda put forth by our own FBI in conjunction with local authorities is disturbing to say the least. You will have a different perspective about the Black Panther movement after viewing this film. How easy the truth can be distorted and manipulated! We have an African American President, but I wonder if there are current government agencies that are undercutting his legitimacy. You think I am crazy to be worried? Ok, but view the film and then tell me.

This is a very interesting documentary. Lots of old footage. Direct, and strong facts are discussed here.

Learned a lot from this dvd.

This is a well presented DVD. It looks at race relations from the ugly side of the street and doesn't flinch. In order to heal I believe that this country needs to "own" the ugly so we don't keep pretending that everything is OK - when it is not. We're come a long way but until we can talk about and heal the wounds of the consequences that are described in this DVD we will still be bound to the yoke of racism

FBI'S WAR ON BLACK AMERICA (1990)

directed by Denis Mueller and Deb Ellis

approx. 50 minutes

This is a very good introduction to the FBI's "counterintelligence program" (COINTELPRO) against Black nationalist groups in the 1960s and 1970s. Basically J. Edgar Hoover used espionage tactics developed for busting organized crime and foreign agents against political groups in order to prevent a movement from gaining real currency. COINTELPRO was used against several other groups including Marxists, racists, Native Americans and terrorists but its most aggressive and violent manifestation was against Blacks. Even reformers such as Martin Luther King, Jr. were targeted but this video mostly addresses the more radical groups.

One tactic was to pit individuals or groups against each other. The FBI would fabricate letters or articles by members of the groups and distribute them. Another tactic was collusion with racist local law enforcement. This ranged from "looking the other way" during investigations into wrongdoing to supplying police with blueprints of buildings where they wanted to assassinate individuals. These groups were not perfect but they had not commited any crimes and were treated in a fashion similar to the way dissidents were in the Soviet Union.

This movie features historic archival footage of:

Black Panther Huey P. Newton

Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver

Black Panther Fred Hampton

Black Panther H. Rap Brown

Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (D-NY)

Malcolm X

Martin Luther King, Jr.

There are also more recent interviews with with former Panthers Kathleen Cleaver, Bobby Rush, as well as Stokely Carmichael (a.k.a. Kwame Ture) and former congressman Rep. Pete McClosky (R-CA). The case of Geronimo Pratt is also covered here with interviews from the time (Pratt was later freed and won a sizable sum from the government).

This movie is important in a society where certain ideas are considered to be dangerous.

Not available on DVD but still worth tracking down!

This is a good start at uncovering the truth behind the goverment actions in disrupting the black power movement. With excerts from speech by Malcom and Martin and Panthers you do get a feel for the purpose of the movement. This video was informative and interesting. And maybe the best part of the video is an interview with Geronimo Pratt and his struggle for justice but to be honest this video is only about 35-40 minutes long and is just straching the surface -- but in my opinion it is well worth watching