Please join us for an important conversation on Reparations!Co-sponsored by Ethnic Notions & Benicia Black Lives Matter
This Juneteenth, Benicia Black Lives Matter, with co-sponsorship by the Benicia Public Library, the City’s V.I.B.E. Team, and Ethnic Notions Fine Art Gallery & Bookstore, will commemorate the holiday with a screening of John Burris: The Godfather of Police Litigation, a powerful documentary chronicling the 40-year career of civil rights attorney John Burris and his work confronting police misconduct. Produced by Doug Harris, the film highlights landmark cases including Rodney King, Oscar Grant, and the Oakland Riders scandal.
The program will begin with an introduction to situate the documentary within a broader historical context, examining policing practices from the late 19th century—particularly as slave patrols survelled, chased and detained runaway and newly freed slaves both prior to and after their enfranchisement as citizens—through to modern reforms such as the Racial Identity and Profiling Act (RIPA). The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Burris, offering attendees an opportunity for deeper engagement and dialogue.
From the Benicia Public Library Website:
Freedom Summer 1964 was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, where hundreds of volunteers, primarily college students, traveled to Mississippi to register African American voters, establish Freedom Schools, and challenge the systemic racism that had long pervaded the region. This summer of activism played a crucial role in advancing civil rights and social justice in the United States.
The event will be emceed by Alice Fried of the Solano County League of Women Voters and will include two special presentations. First, former Poet Laureate Mary Susan Gast (2020-2023), who participated in Freedom Summer as a college student, will share “Gifts from Freedom Summer –1964,” followed by a unique portrayal of Fannie Lou Hamer.
Hamer, who rose from humble beginnings in the Mississippi Delta to become one of the most important, passionate, and powerful voices of the civil and voting rights movements and a leader in the efforts for greater economic opportunities for African Americans, will be brought to life by local artist and activist Linda Youngblood Wright.
The event will also include refreshments and an opportunity for Q&A about Freedom Summer 1964 and continued efforts to ensure voting rights across our country. Voter registration tables will also be set up, so that anyone who isn’t registered to vote can do so.
2– 4pm, in the Doña Benicia Room at the Benicia Public Library, 150 East L Street, Benicia. Registration is not required. This event is free and appropriate for all ages.
Disclaimers: Benicia Independent is not affiliated with either Benicia Public Library or the BUSD.
From the Benicia Public Library Website:
Freedom Summer 1964 was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, where hundreds of volunteers, primarily college students, traveled to Mississippi to register African American voters, establish Freedom Schools, and challenge the systemic racism that had long pervaded the region. This summer of activism played a crucial role in advancing civil rights and social justice in the United States.
The event will be emceed by Alice Fried of the Solano County League of Women Voters and will include two special presentations. First, former Poet Laureate Mary Susan Gast (2020-2023), who participated in Freedom Summer as a college student, will share “Gifts from Freedom Summer –1964,” followed by a unique portrayal of Fannie Lou Hamer.
Hamer, who rose from humble beginnings in the Mississippi Delta to become one of the most important, passionate, and powerful voices of the civil and voting rights movements and a leader in the efforts for greater economic opportunities for African Americans, will be brought to life by local artist and activist Linda Youngblood Wright.
The event will also include refreshments and an opportunity for Q&A about Freedom Summer 1964 and continued efforts to ensure voting rights across our country. Voter registration tables will also be set up, so that anyone who isn’t registered to vote can do so.
2– 4pm, in the Doña Benicia Room at the Benicia Public Library, 150 East L Street, Benicia. Registration is not required. This event is free and appropriate for all ages.
Disclaimers: Benicia Independent is not affiliated with either Benicia Public Library or the BUSD.
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