r/blackamerica

“Jessica Jackson speaks on what Chicago Flips Red calls the “Voting Rights Act of 1965 propaganda,” calling out Cook County Commissioners Tara Stamps of the 1st District and Dr. Kisha McCaskill of the 5th District for claiming Black voting rights are under attack while refusing to address what many residents see as the real crisis impacting Black communities in Cook County.

Since 2020, nearly 2,500 homeowners have lost their properties and the equity tied to those homes through delinquent property tax sales. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the practice unconstitutional years ago, yet families are still fighting for accountability, transparency, and relief.

Jackson also raises concerns about property theft tied to Cook County probate court practices, unlawful demolitions without due process, and generational wealth being stripped from longtime residents under the watch of local government.

Our argument: politicians continue using historic civil rights language during election season, but stay silent when Black families lose homes, land, inheritance, and wealth through government systems operating in their own backyard.”

This time “protesting” the Supreme Court’s decision on the Voting Rights Act.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/protesters-edmund-pettus-bridge-voting-194541916.html

This thread was posted here upon its trailer release and I wanted to confirm that I do believe it is an Oscar contender especially for Kara Young, Sterling Brown, the screenwriter and cinematographer.

I had the honor and privilege of attending and advanced screening. I saw the trailer several months ago and didn’t really know what it was about but was drawn to it and knew I needed to see it.

Phew! Was I in for a treat. I am a filmmaker myself so I watch everything from a filmmaker lens.

From the script and dialogue to the casting (especially the family casting wow), the ACTING, the production design, costumes, intonations. I was blown away. The cast and crew did a phenomenal job and I hope this film gets the love and praise it deserves.

This lady has done an amazing job at uncovering why Black people are elevating just not Black Americans across the board... from the Essence Fest Exposé to the Beauty Brand deal discrepancies, she ain't letting up. We thank her for her work! Check her out!

The original courageous Freedom Riders movement began in 1961.

The first group, organized by Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), had 13 original Freedom Riders:
• 7 Black riders
• 6 white riders

They left Washington, D.C. on May 4, 1961, riding interstate buses into the Deep South to challenge segregation in bus terminals after Supreme Court rulings had already declared it unconstitutional.

After brutal mob attacks in Alabama, including the firebombing of a bus in Anniston and savage beatings in Birmingham and Montgomery, more activists joined. The movement quickly expanded beyond the original 13.

By the end of 1961, more than 400 Freedom Riders had participated across the South. Many were arrested and sent to Mississippi’s notorious Parchman Prison.

Hezekiah Watkins
At just 13 years old, Watkins became the youngest Freedom Rider ever arrested. His involvement happened almost by accident when he went to the Jackson, Mississippi, Greyhound station to see the riders arrive. In the chaos, he was swept up by police and sent to the notorious Parchman State Penitentiary. Initially placed on death row to intimidate him, he spent several days in the prison before being released. This traumatic experience did not deter him; he went on to become a lifelong activist, dedicated to educating others about the struggle for justice in Mississippi.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland
A rare figure in the movement, Mulholland was a white woman from a privileged Southern background who turned her back on social expectations to fight for racial equality. By the time she joined the Freedom Rides, she was already a seasoned activist involved in sit-ins. In 1961, she was imprisoned in Parchman for over two months. She later became the first white student to enroll at Tougaloo College, a historically Black institution, and was a primary organizer for the 1963 March on Washington. She famously survived a near-lynching during the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in.

Ameen Tuunagane (Willie James)
Known during the movement as Willie James, Tuunagane was a relentless civil rights organizer and Freedom Rider. He was part of the waves of activists who traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, to challenge Jim Crow laws. His work extended far beyond the buses; he was deeply involved in voter registration drives and community organizing, often operating in high-risk areas where the threat of police and vigilante violence was constant. His commitment focused on the intersection of political power and basic human dignity.

Carol Ruth Silver
A recent law school graduate at the time, Silver joined the Freedom Rides to put her legal principles into practice. She was arrested in Jackson and, like many others, served time in Parchman Penitentiary. During her incarceration, she kept a secret diary on scraps of paper, documenting the harrowing conditions and the psychological tactics used by guards. Her later career was defined by this experience; she became a prominent lawyer and politician in San Francisco, continuing her advocacy for civil rights and educational reform for decades.

Kredelle Pettway
Pettway was a dedicated activist who participated in the movement during the height of the 1960s racial tensions. As a young woman, she joined the ranks of those demanding the desegregation of public facilities in Alabama and Mississippi. Her contribution highlights the essential role of local youth and women in maintaining the momentum of the movement. She faced the constant threat of the Ku Klux Klan and state-sanctioned violence, standing firm in the belief that the "separate but equal" doctrine was a moral and legal failure.