Historically, the organization practiced self defense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out by jim crow laws. Deacons for defense 2003 posters the movie database. Inspired by a true story, this drama is set in 1965, not long after passage of the civil rights act. He received nominations for his performance in deacons for defense at both the. 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 1964 in jonesboro, louisiana.
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. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner, christopher britton, ossie davis, jonathan silverman, adam weiner, and marcus johnson. Deacons for defense provided protection when no one else would. The deacons for defense university of north carolina press.
The deacons for defense and justice national archives. 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. Staring jonathan silverman, ossie davis and forest whitaker. It is, in my opinion, better than selma because it deals with the raging debates within the movement as well as the role of preachers during that time, both good and not so good. Fbi files relating to the deacons for defense and justice. The deacons for defense and justice is an armed africanamerican self defense group founded in november 1964, during the civil rights era in the united states, in the mill town of jonesboro, louisiana.
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. 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. With forest whitaker, chris britton, jonathan silverman, ossie davis. Deacons defense fails test against notre dame by conor oneill winstonsalem journal. Dec 03, 2015 the deacons for defense and justice was an armed self defense africanamerican civil rights organization in the u. Produced by showtime starring academyaward winner forest whitaker, ossie davis, and jonathan silverman, the film is based on the struggle of the actual deacons for defense against the jim crow south in a powerful area of louisiana controlled by the ku klux klan. They were members of the deacons for defense and justice, a black selfdefense organization that had already engaged the klan in several shooting skirmishes. In the 1960s, there was a group of courageous black men from the communities of the southern states called the deacons for defense and justice. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner, christopher. Jan 29, 2014 a year before the publication of the book, the deacons were the subject of a 2003 made for television movie, deacons for defense.
The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner. 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 self defense organizationthe deacons for defense and justiceto protect movement workers from vigilante and police violence. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed selfdefense africanamerican civil rights organization in the u. Access your corporate applications, files and other it services seamlessly when you are out of the office. Deacons defense fails test against notre dame sports. Telecast during black history month, deacons for defense first aired over the showtime cable network on february 16, 2003. Forest whitaker takes time off one of his film settings to talk to and listen to untold stories about the deacons from the hicks family. The story follows the formation of local black men.
Set in louisiana in the 1960s, a group calling themselves deacons for defense rise up against the ku klux klan. In 2003, whitaker starred opposite colin farrell in joel schumachers phone. Deacons for defense tv movie 2003 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Full text of deacons for defense and justice fbi files. The film stars forest whitaker, jonathan silverman and ossie davis and was directed by bill duke. Jan 16, 20 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 louisiana who used shotguns and rifles to. Network speed and performance may vary subject to your internet connection. See more ideas about african american history, black history and civil rights. Deacons for defense and justice thought provoking perspectives. They were members of the deacons for defense and justice, a black self defense organization that had already engaged the klan in several shooting skirmishes. Sep 01, 2017 in the 1960s, there was a group of courageous black men from the communities of the southern states called the deacons for defense and justice. The deacons are the subject of a 2003 television movie, deacons for defense. Today, the principles of the deacons for defense and justice are carried.
In reality, it was a multistate movement and was actually started before the semifictionalized account in. This organization was characterized as a black militant vigilante. The deacons for defense and justice is an armed self defense african. 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. Many times the deacons are not written about or cited when. A television movie, deacons for defense 2003, directed by bill duke and starring forest whitaker, was aired about the 1965 events in bogalusa. Deacons for defense providing security, nonviolent civil rights protestors would not have been successful. The film is based on the struggle of the actual deacons for defense against the jim crow south in a powerful area ofbogalusa, louisiana controlled by the ku klux klan. Deacons for defense and justice forgotten heroes of the civil. Robert rehme, frank military, michael dantonio, richard wesley. Deacons for defense internet movie firearms database guns. At a time of high racial tension and official abuses, williams promoted armed black. Deacons for defense internet movie firearms database.
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. The klansmen on one side and the deacons on the other. Deacons for defense 2003 cast and crew black militiamen organize their neighbors to help them fight members of the ku klux klan in louisiana. Deacons for defense tv movie 2003 photo gallery imdb. The organization was made up of black veterans from world war ii, who believed in armed selfdefense. Although set in the deep south, the movie was actually shot in ontario using many. The movie inspired mauricelmlei millere to meet deacon hicks at his hicks house in bogalusa, louisiana.
Deacons for defense film wikipedia deacons for defense is a 2003 american television drama film directed by bill duke. Bogalusa deacons for defense and justice robert hicks. Deacons for defense 2003 posters the movie database tmdb. Telecast during black history month, deacons for defense first aired over the showtime cable network february 16, 2003. Deacons for defense is a 2003 american television drama film directed by bill duke. This is a simplistic account of how the deacons for defense came about. Your connection will be disconnected if your computer is left idle for 60 minutes. Feb 06, 2016 the family of the late civil rights activist robert hicks, a leader of the deacons for defense in the 1960s, is working to turn his home into a museum. The film, produced by showtime stars academyaward winner forest. A year before the publication of the book, the deacons were the subject of a 2003 made for television movie, deacons for defense. 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. Historically, the organization practiced self defense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out under the jim crow laws by localstate government officials and racist vigilantes.
If you are disconnected, you will lose any unsaved work. The deacons for defense and justice is 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. Synopsis there were no passive sitins for the deacons of defense. It was an armed organization practicing self defense methods in the face of racist oppression carried out under the jim crow laws by localstate government officials and racist vigilantes. None of the movies about that time portray the extreme poverty, which was more like in the movie the color purple. Inspired by a true story, this madeforcable drama is set in 1965, not long after passage of the civil rights act. 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. Despite the act, the africanamerican citizens of bogalusa are still treated like thirdclass citizens, their fundamental rights as human beings persistently trampled by the white power structure, in general, and the local branch of the kkk. He subsequently began to direct several offbroadway plays, including the secret place, unfinished women and no place to be somebody.
Standing in the street only a few feet from the klan, was a line of grim, unyielding black men. Historically, the organization practiced selfdefense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out by jim crow laws. The deacons for defense and justice was a group founded in jonesboro, louisiana, in 1964 to organize men to guard the. 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. He succeeded in integrating the local public library and swimming pool in monroe. Robert franklin williams february 26, 1925 october 15, 1996 was an american civil rights leader and author best known for serving as president of the monroe, north carolina chapter of the naacp in the 1950s and into 1961. It was an armed organization practicing selfdefense methods in the face of racist oppression carried out under the jim crow laws by localstate government officials and racist vigilantes. 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. I think were going to watch this film and just want to throw up. Deacons for defense and justice forgotten heroes of the. The deacons for defense provided protection for people participating in protest marches in mississippi in 1966. 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. Oct 19, 2016 the deacons for defense and justice was founded in 1964 in jonesboro, louisiana to protect civil rights activists from the ku klux klan.
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