DiCinema

Bo Holmström:
Angela Davis. Her name and face is recognized from hundreds and thousands of protests around the world. She's a symbol for the Black struggle against oppression; not only in America, but in the whole world. Protests have been arranged for her sake in Africa, South America, Europe and the Soviet Union. It was here that it all started: Marin County Courthouse in California. On August 7, 1970 James McClain was on trial for allegedly attempting to stab a guard in San Quentin prison. Two other black prisoners were witnesses at the trial. It had nothing to do with Angela Davis. It's not known if they even knew each other. Also in the courtroom sat 17-year old Jonathan Jackson, the younger brother of the Soledad Brother George Jackson, whom Angela Davis did know. Jonathan Jackson stood up and yelled, 'Everyone freeze,' and pulled out a gun. He handed weapons to the two black witnesses and attempted to take a hostage. They never got further than the parking lot, where a shoot out with the police took place. The judge, two black witnesses and Jonathan Jackson were killed. The police claimed that Angela Davis was the owner of the gun Jonathan Jackson had used. Angela Davis went into hiding. Much later the police found her at a New York hotel. She stands accused as an accomplice to murder, as she was the owner of the gun - a crime punishable by death under California law.
Dennis Roberts - Lawyer:
This trial, I think will be historic in it's unfairness. There is no evidence at all to involve Miss Davis in the charges; none whatsoever. And I think that they seized upon this opportunity to try and put her to death. Governor Reagan originally fired her from her teaching job at the University of California, and this is simply an extension of that, as far as I'm concerned. The evidence presented to the grand jury, shows that the guns that were used in the shootout in San Rafael were registered in her name. Now, assuming for the sake of argument, that that's true; that's all it shows - that she owned some guns. There's nothing illegal in the state of California about owning guns. They were registered and it's not a crime. But, because of the inflammatory press that built up around this incident, and because of the need that the government felt to put her in jail and to hopefully, form their point of view, to kill her - they could put enough pressure in that grand jury room to get an indictment.
Bo Holmström:
No one believes she was behind the murders. Her thousands of supporters will be sure to politicize her trial. She has received one of the best educations a black person in America can get. Her professors said she was the most gifted student they'd ever had. In Germany she met Herbert Marcuse. It was through him that her interest in philosophy and Marxism grew. Her doctoral thesis was on Kant's analysis of violence in the French revolution. She's more intelligent and knowledgeable than most people. She has not let the prison stay break her down. She's on a hunger strike as a protest against the conditions. She's black, she's a woman and she stands accused of murder. Despite all that, she seems to be not only an icon for women, but for most blacks.

Film

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)

Persone

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