In the turbulent 1960s, change was coming to America and the fault lines could no longer be ignored — cities were burning, Vietnam was exploding, and disputes raged over equality and civil rights. A new revolutionary culture was emerging and it sought to drastically transform the system. The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense would, for a short time, put itself at the vanguard of that change.
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution is a new documentary hosted by PBS debuting on February 16th, 2016. In light of the 50 year anniversary, this documentary hopes to explain the setting and necessities that required the establishment of such an organization, its significance to the broader American culture, its cultural and political awakening for black people, and the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. Check out the trailer below:
The documentary has received awards from the National Board of Review for “Top 5 Documentaries,” Riverrun International Film Festival for “Audience Choice Award,” and NAACP Awards for “Outstanding Documentary.” In light of the Party’s 50-year anniversary, unjust and deadly actions against people of color in America, and recent events summed up here, the BPP is at the forefront of our minds.
Follow the source for the PBS page on the documentary. We’d like to highlight the movie screening schedule here, which also provides the opportunity to bring the film to a viewing area near you if not already.