http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3238128636848285898

I recently met someone who was involved in the Farm Workers Movement. I was told that it was one of the largest movements in the United States and Cesar Chavez, its charismatic leader was as popular as Martin Luther King at its time. I had to hear that with a certain sense of shame since I had not even heard about the movement till then. I decided to fall back on movies and documentaries to inform me. I started with the brilliant movie – Grapes of Wrath and for an account of the movement, I turned to Chicano.

Chicano is a nicely told story about the grape workers struggle for minimum wages and safe working conditions. Filipino farm workers decide to go on a strike in the harvest season and seek the solidarity of Mexican workers. Without their support the strike would have no impact whatsoever. Within a couple of days Mexican workers were on a strike that was to last many years. Chicano covers the story of how the workers kept their struggle for many years and won the hearts of American public. The workers were unable to pressurize the farm owners to a great extant since they were able to get workers from other places with their money power. Laws and various suites considerable reduced their picketing powers, making it necessary to put pressure from elsewhere. Chavez and co turned to the consumers. Pickets were organized in front of stores in major cities across USA. They got support from Europe and other places as well. On one occasion Trade Unions in some places in Europe refused to unload California grapes until better terms were given to the workers. Slowly people in various American cities responded forcing chain stores to stop buying grapes from California. The solidarity network built by the workers with the public at large finally got the companies to the negotiating table. The documentary does a good job of covering what the movement did to the aspirations of Chicanos at large. But it could have done much more to cover the tactics of the movement, how people managed to hold on for so many years and other aspects of the struggle. On the whole, this documentary is a wonderful education experience and a good introduction to the grape workers movement in USA.

I have been hearing of Jim Crow laws ever since I came to the US and I decided to check out a documentary on this issue. This four-part series by PBS turns out to be one of the best documentaries on this issue. I have covered just the first part so far that starts from the emancipation and goes till the (in)famous formation of separate-but-equal doctrine of Booker T Washington. It is perhaps unfair to compare it with Eyes on the prize, but I am unable to help making the comparison. Dealing with a period when television was not yet around, the first part of the documentary had to rely on retelling the story and on narratives. Needless to say, there are no survivors of the immediate post-emancipation generation – and this we have no live hearty account of what it was to live in that era. Within these constraints, PBS has managed to make a fine and information documentary on the evolution of Jim Crow laws. I have seen just the first part as yet. I hope to add to this post after I watch other parts. Do revisit me.

Eyes on the prize is easily one of the best documentary series ever made. It covers the civil rights movement in USA from 1954 to 1965. Black war Veterans returned from fighting in Europe and other continents for ‘freedom’ and democracy to return home to Jim Crow America. Reluctant efforts to desegregate a highly divided society only resulted in mobilising a stiff white resistance. Ku Kulx Klan emerged to terrorise and keep the ‘Negros’ in their place. This time around, African Americans respond with a resounding civil rights movement – Eyes on the prize is easily the best story told on this inspiring movement. This series consists of six videos covering different landmarks of the civil rights movement. Extensive videos of real life events are beautifully woven together by a series of interviews by the movement’s leading lights. A major challenge to segregation came with Brown Vs. Board of Education where the Federal Supreme Court ruled that segregation is unconstitutional. South decided to resist the judgement – and resist it did. One volume covers the effort of six Black children who decided to go to a white school. These children were chosen by the school given their meritorious performance. When they go to school they meet a huge boisterous from the city as well as other parts of Southern USA. Five of them are together, and they are chased away by the angry crowd. One girl who did not get the message that they’d go together gets separated. The sight of this young girl amidst a massive angry crowd is one of the most moving and lasting images the documentary leaves us with. The six students persisted in their attempt to go to school, and were finally able to make it only with the assistance of a large contingent of US Army sent by the President of USA. Six volumes take us through white resistance, mobs and violence that is faced by Black counter resistance, non-violent action, and sheer persistence. Extensive coverage is given to Montgomery Bus Boycott, march on Washington, and civil rights movements in various Southern states. A distinguishing feature of the documentary is the extensive set of real life videos put together seamlessly. It is altogether different issue to hear about racism and to see its manifestation on video. Images of US Army escorting school children, bombings in U Mississippi just because one black student wished to enrol, racist speeches by Governors of Southern States, Klan rituals, unleashing of water cannons on school children by ‘Bull Connor’, and other poignant will remind the viewer for ever of how oppressive we can become as a society. The peaceful resistance by Black Americans and their allies is a strong reminder of the more hopeful side of humanity. This series is a comprehensive introduction to the civil rights movement in the US. It is a powerful reminder of what difficulties people had to face in doing the most common things such as go to school, vote, eat in restaurants, travel in buses, etc. I recommend it strongly to everyone…this is a story of what the society was…what it is. More importantly it is a message of what it can be, and what each of us should do and can do to make this world a better place.

A preview from You Tube

Eyes on the prize will be produced no more

This beautiful documentary cannot be reproduced due to copyright laws - a beautiful clip on this from you tube below.

Just saw this documentary that reviews some of the major social movements in the US through songs of Pete Seeger. I had not realised that Pete Seeger was the composer of many hugely popular songs including we shall overcome and if I had a hammer. The documentary is weaved by a presentation by Pete himself who takes us through various important social movements including Trade Union movements in various cities, civil rights movement, far workers movement, feminist movement, peace movement and finally the environment movement. There are powerful clips of videos from each of these driving home the message of social change that has happened, and change that has to happen. A determined Pete Seeger talks about his role in the movements interspersed with his songs. Who imagined that Berlin wall will come down peacefully, that a World War III will not happen, or that workers will have much improved conditions, asks Pete. He has a strong message against fatalism and a message to get moving and to do something. He also underscores the importance of organising and getting together. The central message of the documentary – we got the people together, and the miracle happened. The documentary was produced by a local (read Syracuse) person.

We shall overcome by Dean Reed