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What did African American descendents lose as a result of banishment? Share your thoughts and your reaction to BANISHED.
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Thank you for the opporunity to comment. Reparations are DEFINITELY due, but I have another take on the subject. I have been researching urban redevelopment in American Cities and the wealth stripping of African-Americans. Federal, state and local goverments are legislating land ownership rights away from African-Americans under the guise of redevelopment, forced demolitions, receivership statutes, land banks and demolition liens. Racial discrimination, segregation, poor education and low paying jobs forced millions upon millions of African-Americans to build a life the best they could in inner city slums. Our African history and traditions were ripped away with slavery. Now whatever traditions, life, culture, prosperity (asset accumulation)is being ripped away from us with legislation, statutes and ordinances, once again leaving African-Americans with NOTHING. Our physical history in a particular city locales ceases to exist with a bulldozer or backhoe. This term they now use "re-imaging" is a term that tells the world, we now want to tell the world a new lie and strip you of your political power and land also. Do I smell the resettling of America again as it once happened to the Native American Indian population?
What did African Americans lose as a result of banishment? Just about everything, which is bad but it's actually worse than that. This could constitute a third tidal wave of losing just about everything. Once in Africa, once at the end of the Civil War and again during Jim Crowe. Of course I mean this strictly in the context of the Black subculture as a whole, there have undoubtedly been millions of individual instances of losing everything that made up these cultural waves.
Speaking for myself I feel that Black folk make a good point about reparations. I understand my white brothers and sisters reluctance to grant concessions because they are not personally complicit in the acts that gave rise to many of these injuries. (Heck, my own Irish family didn't make it to this country until the 1890's and my Canadian father didn't make it until 1960 or 61.) But they are unable or unwilling to acknowledge the fact that we have still benefited from slavery, Jim Crowe and segregation. I'm not like the guy that seemed to imply that every white person is living fat and sassy in some cushy suburb but we have benefited. By excluding other races, nationalities and creeds we reduced competition, reaped disproportionate rewards (that have accumulated and permitted better education, etc,) and secured the top positions in most organizations. This continues to benefit us as most people are most comfortable with people that are most like them. Therefore discrimination continues to exist (overtly and illegally in some cases, subconciously in others) and continues to drive advantages in education and employment. This is institutional racism and it exists.
So:
1. We have an injured party (many of whom continue to suffer and struggle).
2. We have a group that have benefited from the injury though they are not personally responsible for the injury.
3. We need to reconcile to improve all of our chances for success and happiness.
So what do we do?
I say continue supporting affirmative action because it was designed to, and slowly is, overcoming institutional racism and the detrimental economic effects of slavery and Jim Crowe. It also has the same effect for Native Americans, Chinese Americans and other minorities that were mistreated in the past and do not have the option (as say an Irish Catholic) to pass. This is the real reparations, the acquisition of knowledge followed by access to rewarding employment that enables the intergenerational transfer of assets, education and opportunity. It is so much more valuable and useful than 40 acres and a mule or a one-time check (that will not be very large given the size of the Black population and those that will follow in your lead plus our status as a broke @ss nation). At some point affirmative action needs to be expanded in the educational arena to include economically disenfranchised whites that are locked in the cycle of poverty. They are the most likely to be overtly racist now a days and, though they don't realize it, they are also mistreated by the wealthy. We should also continue to support and expand civil rights. Maybe we can't force people to change their minds but we can force them to behave or punish them severly when they act out. I also think we need to continue our liberal assault on education and the media. Many people are unwilling or unable to think critically and make up their own minds so they are unlikely abandon their racist, sexist, bigoted ways and will more than likely continue the intergenerational transfer of their disgusting views. It can work, I've seen the improvement in one generation after another over the course of the last 40 years. We also need to continue integrating our communities to foster opportunities for us to engage in and benefit from relationships with diverse people on our block, in our community groups and our schools. This has been and continues to be a positive step in both directions. For example, a child growing up in a Black neighborhood, attending a Black school and only seeing white people on TV or in stores are probably going to be a uncomfortable and hyper vigilante when they take their first job and find the majority of their co-workers are White. This could hurt their productivity and lead to negative repercussions. Why? Because we don't take the time to get to know each other so that we can develop trust, acceptance and an ability to anticipate how our interactions will shake out.
Peace,
Richard
As a former teacher of both black and white students, it angers me that NONE of this is taught in American History. Years ago, before I retired, I taught from Tom Feelings book "The Middle Passage". None of my students of any race had heard of the middle passage, and the millions of slaves transported this way to "The New World".
I long for the day American history will be taught TRUTHFULLY. Amazing, unbelievable, and disgusting is what our government allowed in times past. Let us all work to bring the truth into our schools. Great film.
I grew up in Pierce City. Born in the mid 40s, I never knew or met any black people except for shopping trips to Joplin and Springfield. When I moved to Springfield for education, I met and learned to like a number of people from a number of races. I have since lived in KS, CO and TX and found the bigots are everywhere. However, it is mostly the older people that seem to continue to carry those feelings.
Pierce City is not a bad place today, it is just like most other places that have good and bad people. Some people will make something of nothing and some with make nothing of something.
It would be a good to think that skin color made no difference and I have taught my children to thing that way. It sometimes seems that they see opposite thinking from the very ones that have protested racism. Unfortunately, the leaders are not the best ones to follow. We should all find our own way, and it probably will be the best way to go.
Thank you for making this important film. I was very lucky to have the chance to watch a year ago it during a college class, and it has stayed with me. I only wish that everyone in America would watch it. We have a great deal to learn, not only about our history, but about the attitudes and beliefs that many people still hold onto today.
They don't like American Natives and other Sovereign Elect, either. Find the actions of the "local gurus" below:
Go to “groups.yahoo” and search for “escape from big brother.” Join (this prevents SPAM) and read under “files” section, “Arkansas Trespass & Torture.”
http://www.scribd.com/people/documents/13885202-meadow-muffins
Until people face the past honestly they cannot live contentedly in the present. I believe we inherit shame and responsibilities along with the material good passed on by our ancestors. It's contradictory to assert our rights to inherit material good and to simultaneously reject the consequences of immoral behaviours perpetrated by our forebears. So long as people try to duck out of their immoral inheritance they will never be content.
All of the colonised nations of the world have to face and deal with their unhealthy and sick histories more honestly than the majority of people are prepared to do at present.
To all those people who respond to the injustice and outrages shown in Banished by listing other historical instances of interracial violence, remember that 'all societies are as strong as their weakest members'. I believe therefore it follows that taking care of our societies weakest members is going to strengthen the claims of others who have been wronged.
I am a black decendent of black people who was part of the u.s. governments terrorist program implamented of black people (code name is slavery)And I know that's all black people have to do is burn the white mans flag,drop his damn religions(chritianity,islam,judaism,),pick up a gun(why is there only a gun buy back program in the black community even though white will 25 random people because they got laid off a job,massecered the native americans and by gunpoint,the chistian bible,and their pure sh*t just us system)Pick up the damn gun,plant bomb!Becauses whether you kn ow it or not for the last 400 years we have been at war!!
Reparations is a ridiculous idea, 1) the people harmed during these artocious acts are no longer living 2) the people that would pay the penalty for these acts didnt commit them or benefit from them. Its time for the African American community to quit placing blame and start looking to the future. We've just elected an African American to President. Every population has been supressed at one time or another but we only ever hear about the African Americans and Indians. What about the decendents of the pilgrims? should they go back to europe and demand reparations, or what about non slave owning southerners that had their farms burned and families murdered by the union? should they too be given reparations? The answer is no! Everytime someone starts screaming racism it discredits the community as a whole, most of America is tired of hearing it, they are tired of double standards with African Americans getting preferential treatment solely based on the color of their skin, the definition of racism. Think about it for a moment what if a group was formed to give scholarships to only white kids, or an organization was called the National Association for the Advancement of White People? Everyone would be up in arms screaming rascism, but this is and has been standard practice for the last 25 or 30yrs with in the African American community and by most accounts it is accepted. The majority of whites are not racists and I feel that it is some prominent members of the African American community always drawing lines in the sand and it is my fear that this constant attack will eventually give way to a divided nation again. I live in the south in fact very close to Harrison Arkansas and I'm sure you probably guessed that I'm also white, however I wasnt raised to be racist. My point is that African Americans live with in this community without any problems that I'm aware of, we work, eat and go to church together an issue as divisve as Reparations would only help to erode years of hard work from both our communities.
hello , to whom it may concern i was walking in the woods one day (2008) and i happened to look over into the trees and i believe i wave found the strickland cemetery . i looked at the names on the gravestones and found three (maybe more) stricklands. i live in south forsyth county and when i looked at the gravestones i had the sudden urge to look it up. this graveyard has been abused by passer bys and its a shame does the name olivia strickland lool familiar?
The level of ignorance in America never ceases to amaze me. It is for reasons such as the murderous & destructive behavior of white America during the early 1900's through today (not that this didn't occur prior to 1900)that leads me to the conclusion that reparations to African Americans is justifiable. African Americans lives were taken & destroyed. Churches, homes & other real property were destroyed and stolen. All the while virtually nothing was done by local officials, state officials and federal officials. I believe reparations are in order for a certain number of African American families for what they were forced to endure at the hands of White America.
I don't think trying to give back the land or give people some money is the solution here. I don't think you can put a price on these crimes, especially when the direct victims are all deceased. However, today we all live with the legacy of these racial cleansings.
I think repentance is the solution for these complicated problems. But it's much more than saying "I'm sorry;" it's reconciliation and a commitment to make amends with the hurt party.
I think the people in Harrison, Arkansas really had the right idea, to reach out to African-Americans and establish a relationship with them.
The film is incorrectly titled. "Banished" is past tense and implies that those pogroms have ended. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am the last remaining African-American in Branson West, Mo. The town is trying to evict me using mere allegations as evidence. One cannot hire a lawyer for their defense in these cases because none of the attorneys in the county want to offend the city administration.
You need to change the name to "Banishings" because it is STILL going on TODAY.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzaDvN1BN0&fmt=22
Obviously Pierce City's hate hasnt gone away. Im a biker. at around 8 am on 26 Oct 08 I was quietly traveling through the town on my way from the Newtonia area over to head east on I-44 along with my safety vehicle behind me. We were followed out of town by a white dodge He was given plenty of chances to pass and be on his way but chose to follow till we were aproximately half way between Pierce City and Mt Vernon on I-44. At that time he made his way past my safety truck and proceeded to tail gate me at distances closing on less than 2 feet and at speeds of 100 + mph. The driver gave me no options. It was either out run him or be shoved under a semi or get hit by him. Very nice people down there.. My family was in the safety vehicle. Had ANY THING gone wrong they would have seen me killed right there and probably been splattered by my remains. Again very nice people down there. Mark Pirce City as a very unfriendly town and a good place to stay clear of if you're an out of town biker just looking for a quiet ride.
As the opening scenes of black women, children and men running for their lives with white men with pitchforks and torches behind them, I was filled with a variety of emotions form anger to sadness to shock and total disbelief. How could anyone have the power to kick another person off of their own property? Before seeing this film, I did not know anything about racial cleansing. I knew that there were towns where there were a few black people, but I never thought that maybe there are only a few or no black people there because of the results of racial cleansings. Throughout the whole documentary I still felt the emotions of anger and sadness and sometimes complete disgust because of how some of the white people in the towns did not even want to talk about it, even though I felt like they have nothing to be worried about because they still had their homes. I guess some felt ashamed of what happened and felt that they would be blamed for what happened, even though the majority of them didn’t have any part in the actions of the past inhabitants. One the other hand, I felt that the black families had the right to be upset about what happened but at the same time, some of them didn’t go through what happened first hand. Their family members felt the results of the racial cleansings and those family members have every right to fight for what they believe to be unethical and unfair. When the blacks families were shown and told their story as to how they wanted land or reparations or even a family member’s grave moved to another location I was sadden. I was saddened from all of these because honestly, there would be no way that land and reparations would be given to every black family who had ancestors banished from those towns. In another way, I was sadden by the man wanting to move his family member’s grave site, because it’s horrible that he had to feel like the grave was not safe where it was located.
In order to create something that enables black people to get closure and white people to feel relieved in a sense, I feel that a common movement of recognition should take place. I’m not saying that what happened is not important and I’m not saying that it should be forgotten, but I think that honest and complete recognition of what happened should first take place. For everyone, black and white, to look back and to understand what happened, who it affected and to realize how it has played out now in society, all of these things need to be examined. After that I think that everyone can get past what happened by being educated about it and then taking a stand to not let it happen again. Obviously, this is better said than done and for everyone to truly get past the issue is not guaranteed. But the simple notion that everyone knows what happened and can start to put the past in the past and create a society where racial cleansing will not occur again, is in my eyes is a worthy reparation and reconciliation.
The interviewer in this documentary was incredibly skilled, brave, and calm. He was able to gather a lot of important information and opinions without letting his personal opinions affect his tone of voice. It really struck me to watch the black interviewer interview the KKK man at the KKK headquarters. I feel proud of the interviewer for being brave enough to go into that building and talk to that man. I would have a hard time keeping my cool, and I'm white. I also thought it was good that the KKK man stayed calm and objective. He put his opinion out there bluntly, but not in a hostile manner.
It made me angry to hear what some of the white people from the towns in Arkansas had to say. It made me angry that they sometimes denied that the cleansing happened at all, or that they shoved it off as insignificant or acceptable. I was shocked to find that there are still people in our modern age who believe such things. It was a wake-up call for me and enlightened me about different lifestyles and beliefs.
But I have to wonder if it is really so bad that there are cities with no, or virtually no, black people. If the white people of those town live a unique lifestyle which is not inclusive of blacks, than isn't it best that the town remains all white? I don't think it's up to us to try to change these citizens' beliefs. In the spirit of acceptance, shouldn't we accept that these white people wish to remain by themselves? Certainly it was wrong to steal the land of black people and kick them out of the city. That's a crime. But is it wrong that most black people wish to not move back, and that most white people wish for them not to as well? Why not leave these people alone to live their lives instead of forcing them into an inclusive environment?
As far as reparations go, my gut instinct has and continues to be that it is not fair to make the descendants of criminals pay the price for their ancestors' mistakes. I really don't know what the answer is, because land was stolen and somebody has to pay. I don't know what is typically done when a stolen good has been purchased. But I don't think it's fair to make somebody else pay the price for someone's crimes.
I recently watched the documentary Banished and from it I gathered a lot of different feelings and emotions. I must first start by saying that the events that took place in the film are not a shock to me. These things have went on in a number of southern counties across the "Land of the Free." It is not shocking that African Americans were forced from their land in America because they were taken from their homes in Africa. For hundreds of years African Americans have been stripped of everything that they own and forced to start over again. What is a shock is that its taken so many years for all of these things to be brought to the light.
Because I watched this film in a room with both blacks and whites, I spent much of the film looking at the expressions on the faces of those around me. I noticed that some of the faces in the room were of discuss while others were in awe. Many of us were discussed with the harsh treatment that these "Free" African Americans received. While others were in awe of the way in which the people of these towns still think . The treatment of these people lead me to a lot of questions.
*Why would someone want to drive out a group of people because of their race?
*How does one sleep at night knowing that they have exiled a group of people who have done nothing to them?
*Why do whites not want to talk about what was done? Are they too ashamed?
As an African American, I understand feeling ashamed and not wanting to discuss it but that is a barrier that we as African Americans must break free of. As I've mentioned before, these acts of discrimination are nothing new. These things have been going on for hundreds of years to the African American community and until we begin to open up and talk to one another, we will continue to be face these hardships. There is no amount of money or act of kindness that could reconcile what has been done, so as Americans we must move on and learn from our past.
I did not know how to feel after watching this film. I cant go around feeling sorry for the families because I would have to feel sorry for every African American who has ever experienced racial discrimination. I cant go around hating white people because their ancestors, and still some today,have ostracized African Americans from their communities. But what I can do is make every effort to know my families history-where we came from, where we have been, and whats rightfully ours in an effort to preserve what is ours for future generations.
I watched the documentary in a class recently. Honestly, I did not know what to think; I don’t know how to process what happened or what I saw. I am sad. I felt angry and frustrated. I felt ashamed. And I felt somewhat hopeless. There are no words and probably no action that could ever make this wholly right for those who were stolen from and treated as less than what they were.
I’m torn. I feel for the families, for what was not lost but stolen from them. But what can be done. What reparations can be made when so much has been stolen? We certainly do not seem to be a land of equal opportunity. These families were uprooted, how many descendants’ lives would be different today if that had not happened? I live the life that I live because my grandparents made sacrifices and provided certain things for their children. That tradition carried of providing a better life and being rooted thanks to the previous generation. This was not possible because the ‘lives’ they had made for themselves were stolen. For a people to have to go through being treated as property and then to be given some sort of freedom, that was stolen from them shortly after is incomprehensible.
Reparations are way past necessary. If nothing else, an acknowledgement of what really happened is necessary. I don’t understand the logistics that would go into giving them land back or making compensation for what was stolen and the land that was illegally possessed. Something does need to be done though. Someone needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility for the sins of their fathers. Sadly, those counties have gotten too comfortable with hiding the past in a file drawer of some county building. The “versions” of the stories need to be destroyed and they need to be honest with the world about what happened. Acknowledging our past is the ONLY way of moving on.
I watched the documentary in a class recently. Honestly, I did not know what to think; I don’t know how to process what happened or what I saw. I am sad. I felt angry and frustrated. I felt ashamed. And I felt somewhat hopeless. There are no words and probably no action that could ever make this wholly right for those who were stolen from and treated as less than what they were.
I’m torn. I feel for the families, for what was not lost but stolen from them. But what can be done. What reparations can be made when so much has been stolen? We certainly do not seem to be a land of equal opportunity. These families were uprooted, how many descendants’ lives would be different today if that had not happened? I live the life that I live because my grandparents made sacrifices and provided certain things for their children. That tradition carried of providing a better life and being rooted thanks to the previous generation. This was not possible because the ‘lives’ they had made for themselves were stolen. For a people to have to go through being treated as property and then to be given some sort of freedom, that was stolen from them shortly after is incomprehensible.
Reparations are way past necessary. If nothing else, an acknowledgement of what really happened is necessary. I don’t understand the logistics that would go into giving them land back or making compensation for what was stolen and the land that was illegally possessed. Something does need to be done though. Someone needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility for the sins of their fathers. Sadly, those counties have gotten too comfortable with hiding the past in a file drawer of some county building. The “versions” of the stories need to be destroyed and they need to be honest with the world about what happened. Acknowledging our past is the ONLY way of moving on.
The flim Banished was mindblowing and I fought it hard to wrap my mind around the whole notion of no BLACKS in white communities or towns. While watching the film I experienced I number of emotions and reactions, from hate and anger to empathy and compassion. I felt these different types of emotions because I felt as "one" with those individuals driven out of their homes and communities. I could sense their pain, hatred,and anger. I experienced anger and hate towards those white communities because in my opinion running Blacks from thier homes is unheard of and wrong. I expressed even more anger after learning that those white communities that ran out the Black people were acting as if it never happend. They would not admit that they did anything wrong and tried their damnest of look past it. There is a scene in the film that hit a nerve. I cannot remember what town it was in. This town awarded several blacksn students sholarships to attend their college, which is a good and everything. But I think the only reason why they did that was not because they cared about the black students and wanted to see them succeed. They did it to make themselves feel better while steadliy covering up the truth. In addition, they did it to say they gave something to the Blacks to show their gratitude and compassion for what happened. However, some whites would reframe from speaking of it. But others would plain out say, "they moved to those all white communities because there wasn't any Blacks." Upon hearing that my heart broke into pieces and I cried inside for those poor souls who were ran out for nothing. Whiling watching this film many questions entered my mind, such as "What did the whites have against the Blacks?" Or why did they have to run them out? The reoccuring question that kept entering my mind was: "How were the whites able to sell the Black people land, if they did agree to sell it?" There were several scenes that were meaningful. The scene that stayed in my mind the most was: when it talked about how whites burned down a Black family's side of their house to make them leave. I strongly believe that the family member of those individuals who were ran out and who had land should be paid something in regards to their family's members land. By the way, I trustly believe that whites do not want to talk about the subject because they do not want to face the facts. They do not want to stare the "truth" in its face. In their eyes if they admit to what they did it would be admitting that they were wrong and should be punished for their unjustice deeds. In my honest opinion, there is nothing we can do about reconciling two versions of history becuase no matter how much we try to make people aware it will not change things at all. Simply because "white" individuals are content with themselves and do not want change by any means. Personally no amount of money will change the past and wipe away the horrid events that take place in those times. The day when whites are willing to admit that they did wrong and wiling to change their "whites communities" to white and black communities only then will there be change.
The documentary Banished relates the event of racial cleansing in the South. While watching the film, I experienced many emotions, concerns, and questions. First, I will discuss the different emotions I felt while watching this film. I felt the emotions of sadness, guilt, and anger. Sadness comes from the racial cleansing itself. It is a shame, to me, that such violent acts happened in these cities. I also feel sadness for the families which were forced to leave their homes in the middle of the night. This is a country of freedom and these families were not given the same freedom as others. Second, I felt guilty. Although I did not participate in the racial cleansing, I feel a sense of guilt of being a Caucasian American. Last, I felt anger toward the inhabitants of these cities. These residents had no concern for anyone else’s well being. These are some of the emotions I felt while watching Banished.
Next, I will discuss some concerns I had during the documentary. First, I was concerned about the families themselves. They were chased from their homes with no hope of ever returning or reclaiming their land. Secondly, I was concerned for the ancestors of these families. The ancestors may never know where their family land sits. There is also a strong chance they will never recover or be compensated for the land which is rightfully theirs. Last, and most important, I am concerned with the cities themselves. I believe they are isolating themselves from this growing and expanding world. These are some concerns I experienced while watching the documentary.
Last, I have many questions concerning this film. First, I would like to know if these families will ever get compensated for their losses. Also, will these cities ever change their racist ways? One important question on my mind is, ca families put a price on what their ancestor’s lost? Lastly, after reading the articles on the internet, I wonder how I would respond to one of the people in the film. Would there be any way of comforting them?
There is one particular event in the film which I have mixed emotions. It is the event of exhuming the family grave. I understand the family’s wishes to bury him with other family member’s, but at the same time I wonder if it is necessary to disturb a grave. I also believe the whites did not want to discuss this issue of exhuming the body in fear of attention. These cities are excluded from the rest of the world and this would only cause more attention for them.
Just as a tornado destroyed pierce city MO... a tornado needs to visit all those places where this atrocity has occured. Oh God, make it so! and thats all i have to say about that(in my forrest gump voice)
I must first begin with saying I have not yet seen the film, So i will not comment about it's content. But I am unhappy with what I have read in these comments. I am in my early 30's and am not a native of the Harrison area, but I have lived here since 1991. Being that I have lived here for my whole adult life and can count the stories I recall of racial injustices on one hand, that's not too bad. Probably couldn't say the same if I lived in Springfield MO or even Fayetteville AR.
As for the KKK, Robb only calls Harrison home because the small community of Zinc, where Klan is believed to call "headquarters", barely exists. And I may just out of their little circle of friends, but I have never heard of any rallies taking place in or around Harrison.
As for myself, I am not a racist person. I have falily members as well as a best friend that are mixed. But that does not mean that their aren't people in the area that share my views about respecting a person for who they are rather than the color of their skin. People resist change if it clashes with the beliefs that they were brought up with. If more minorities were to move to the Harrison area these negative attitudes toward other races could, and probaly would, be replaced with the ideas that we are all the same on a basic level.
It is hilarious how in 2008 a lot of Caucasians have redeemed their consciences by now co-mingling with African-Americans and other minorities. The only differences being they come from their large mansions and estates on the hills, driving their gas-guzzler; hummers and German-engineered automobiles and dressed in subtle colors from tailors in London and Paris. They hold well-paying jobs as a result of a lifetime of comfortable living and leisurely upbringing, attending ivy league schools, accumulating fancy interest-free loans and grants while breezing through party-filled educational experiences laced with ominous-sounding Greek letters establishing their worth. What goes unmentioned is how directly the sufferings of my ancestors goes to the respective luxurious existence they now enjoy. Why they cannot, for the life of me understand how and why they are just as responsible for the sins of their fathers is beyond me. How they cannot fathom that the very lap of serenity they and their family now enjoy is not only as a result of the cotton-picking of my great, great-grandfather and the millions of lives lost and wasted, but the opportunities denied generations of descendants as well while on the converse, the opposite has held true for the better part of the past three hundred years. When will we decide to face the truth about our present and acknowledge the grimy truths about our past, regardless of our differences and honestly attempt to rectify the unforgivable and incredulous arrogance of a percentage of a particular racial group who have figuratively raped, not only our ancestors but whole nations, for as long as our memories can recall. What happened to our ancestors on an individual and group level is just another example of what has been taking place to countries like Zaire (Copper), South Africa (Gold and Diamonds) and let's not forget the latest, Iraq (Oil). It still makes me sick to my stomach every time I pass by De Beers. I am just a humble individual who can see all this. Who do they think they are fooling? When will we wake up?
The whole film was based on half-truth, inuendo's, and sentiment; 500 people in the Klan? That's ridiculous, try maybe 25 local, 50 at best, the whole thing was a total fabrication, I think the Harrison Task Force is absurd, it doesn't speak for me.
I read some of the comments, especially from the ones around the Harrison area, first of all I know the Robb family, and there are not 500 active members in his group, that is totally, totally false. I've been to several rallies as a guest, there may be, and I'm stretching it, including wives and children, maybe 100, and of those, well over half aren't from around here. There are alot of myths that aren't true regarding the Klan, as well as Harrison Arkansas.
I can't speak for everybody, but one of the reasons people don't move to Harrison, is because of economics, it's not a white collar town, we got a few factories that keeps us barely above the poverty line, as far as 'closing the door to blacks', I don't buy that, while I admit, very few blacks live here, I believe the main reason they aren't here, is because the blacks are uncomfortable being around an overwhelmingly white area, that, and the fact that there is absolutely no night life, unless you consider Shoney's or the truckstop in Bellfonte.
Most people from Harrison, are somewhat scared of blacks, very, very, very few, would try acts of violence toward blacks, that is a myth both outside as well as within the city limits. I think many of the citizens would be leery of blacks moving here, but I can't see acts of violence.
Let's cut through the chase, I want people to move here, because they like it here, not because of Banished, or our Task Force trying to make us feel guilty over things we had no control over. I want people to move here because they want to, to raise their kids, if they are good people, the color of their skin makes no difference, it isn't blacks most Harrison people have trouble with moving here, but there is a certain amount of fear to potential gangs springing up like they have in Little Rock, in case you don't know Little Rock isn't a sleepy southern town, it's mean, per capita, there's as much violent
crime as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles.
The Task Force doesn't speak for me, nor does the Klan or other supremist outfits, my views are my views, I believe in treating people fair, reparations are not fair, you are not responsible for what your ancestors did, besides, even if it was clear cut the whites in Harrison mistreated the blacks, which I'm not totally sure of, but assuming they did, who was it? It certainly isn't anybody now, people that were born in 1903 would be 105 today in 2008, I'd venture to say, their all dead. I believe in treating people right, but don't put me on a guilt trip for something I had no control over,
I try to be realistic, as well as fair to all people involved. First of all, my home is 15 miles from Harrison Arkansas, from a personal standpoint, Banished does not speak for the way most people around here feel and believe. I believe in treating people decent and fair, but I disagree with reparation money, for anybody, I'm part Cherokee, I had people on the trail of tears, all the money in the world isn't going to change what happened, it's done, besides, there is a Bible verse that states children are not to be responsible for the sins of their fathers, I hate all this talk, besides not everybody in Harrison is responsible for things over 100 years ago.
Another thing is, not everybody in Boone County is involved in the Klan, and the ones that are, aren't going around doing the things Hollywood loves to show. Banished in my opinion, sensationilized what our area was and is like, thanks to the Task Force that by far doesn't speak for our area.
Hey, I believe in the American dream, I believe any man, woman, or child, should get the same opportunity, chance, to be all they can be, if they are hard-working, honest, and has a good heart, I pray nothing but the best. But stop putting my people on a guilt trip. Quit asking me to make special accomadations for some, while restricting others, which is exactly what many radical minorities and left-wing whites that side with them are doing.
In all honesty, if blacks moved here, as long as they were good citizens, I have no problem with that, but quit asking me to lay prostrate, apologize, and offer reparations. I'll not lie, I don't want us like Little Rock, that's one of the fears my people have. As far as race-mixing, I don't agree with it, anymore than I agree with homosexuality, but that's their business. That's another unfair stereotype Arkansas and the south has, that the good ole boys look for black boys to hang that's been seen with the white women. It doesn't please me, but you don't see that in Harrison, which I'm sure Marco Williams and several Task Force people from Harrison want you to believe. You see race-mixers in Wal Mart all the time, but again, that's their business, I know many blacks who don't agree with this anymore than whites. Bottomline? I think all people want to be treated with common respect, and they should, I've never had a problem with that. But Banished is a racist film, they should apologize to Harrison and other towns they attacked
Finally, instead of looking at the injustices of small towns over 100 years ago, why not look at present day St. Louis, Miami, Detroit, Harlem, or Watts? Why were these places ignored?
As a resident of southwest Missouri, I have been thinking about Banished ever since I saw it on PBS over a month ago. In fact, it motivated me to research Springfield Missouri's very similar history to that of Pierce City's. In 1906 three African American men were lynched by a mob of 6000 people. The African American population was at 20% before the lynching, and it is still only at about 3.3% today. I am very thankful for all the people that spoke out and brought this topic to attention. It has inspired me.
As I was surfing cable today I stumbled upon "Banished", which rendered such heart-wrenching effects and memories of my upbringing from the 1930's in Jackson, Mississippi. Thanks for this information. I am an activist for causes such as these, and will be following this story. One of the main issues here is "strict" education (in general), especially about matters such as these. Certainly there may never be reparations, so we must become educated enough to see that this ugly demon does not rear it's ugly head again in America, in our time. Keep up the good work young man!
I'm watching this excellent, eye-opening program as I type. Nothing has changed where I live in the Pierce City and surrounding areas. I am as sure as I can be that if you planted a black family in the Greenfield, Miller, Mt. Vernon, etc. area to do another story, heaven help them escape from the injustices that will befall them unless sufficient protect was provided. Less than 4 years ago, a black man was told in a restaurant in Miller, MO that 'we don't serve colored people here'.
To Whom It May Concern,
I am a young Afican- American woman who believes in Reparations, but also belives in hard work does desrve to be payed in full for. The work of Slaves in the past mentally unbearalble. I don't know how the people kept their families together. We as Afriacn-Americans donnot have anything but Slavery to be taught to our children. It Would be only right, that African-Americans be paid for the deteriation of a Culture. When the slaves were let go suffering cotinued for years, just to fit into an American
Society that had no means for Blacks to Prosper. It is just like letting a child go off into the world with no support for the parent. The child would be lost.
Thank You
Scincerely,
Naomi L.F.
I just wanted to comment on a phrase I heard during the show. The reporter mentioned that the banishment of blacks in Forsythe County GA was an example of the largest ethnic banishment in America.
As good as the show was, why did he not know about the Cherokees and the "Trail of Tears"? Or any one of HUNDREDS of other times when Indians were driven off their lands? The bumper ticket is true (to paraphrase), "If you're not Indian, you're an illegal alien!"
An Indian was being forced to convert or be burned at the stake. When asked why he would not convert and go to heaven to be with other Christians he said (to paraphrase), "If they are like you, I do not want to meet them." He was then promptly burned alive at the stake. From the documentary on the voyages of Christopher Columbus
I found the film very informative, and it only tells a small part of the injustices suffered by the descendants of enslaved Africans in America. I also find it interesting to hear the concept of reparations described as "divisive" whenever the issue is raised in reference to the descendants of enslaved Africans, but the ongoing efforts for holocaust reparations are never described that way. It also isn’t considered unjust that holocaust reparations are still being paid by the taxes of those who had nothing directly to do with the holocaust. Even the much heralded presidential candidate Barack Obama refuses to discuss reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans; apparently there's a limit to how much he's willing to dialogue on race.
what an enlightening film!!
it occurs to me, that when it comes to topics such as slaver, racism, and others, that one can tend to look for a hiding place.
there is no hiding place!! your conscience never looks for one!! only when we defer to our brain do we find a convient hiding place!!
i was surprised the community of pierce city did not jump at the chance to help the BROWN family move their grandfathers grave to their family plot. perhaps their mayor did not give them the opportunity to perform this good deed.
thank-you for the look back into our family histories!!73
As a journalist and author, I applaud this effort to shine a light on the reality of property ownership in the United States. For blacks, Native Americans and other 'unfavored minorities' legal ownership to land in this county has been problematic at best. There are CURRENT cases in Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi that I am personally familiar with, many of which involve possible official corruption and extortion. I discuss part of the ongoing land piracy problem in my book, Land, Legacy and Lynching; much of the book is devoted to CURRENT land theft, theft via document deception and official corruption. This is not and "ancient" problem; it is real; it is happenening as we speak.
I understand that injustices were done and they should be righted. However, how many years need to go by until it is felt that the injustices have been made right? Does it take an apology and then forgiveness as is the Bible; does it take land-money? Nothing can ever bring the people in the past back. I am a polish american. Injustices were not only done by Germany in Auschwitz and again here when our generations landed in America. I also have a brother that was killed and I hated that person for about ten years, and I wanted that peson to die. But I finally realized that I needed to forgive, to realize that maybe he learned a leason as well and would be a better person. For me to hold that hate and anger in only made it worse and kept my trust and faith away. I was then the one doing the wrong by keeping the hate, anger and assuming that I was owed something. I am not owed something because my father's father was done wrong. We all live in this land of America. We should all go forward not backwards. I go on my own merit, true to my heart, big or small.
I watched "Banished" with a certain amount of intellectual curiosity since I had once lived nearby a town that had banished blacks many years before my habitation of said town. The whole journey regarding the relocation of an ancestor was interesting to me, and the town's dilemma and reaction was equally interesting, because they were trying to reconcile a different era, a different context, a time period when the banishment occured, with TODAY.
Then, all of a sudden, the principal player had his hand out, asking for an entitlement, expecting the "white town" to pay for the past sins of the residents of the town, even though he could pay for the movement of his kin, so he said, with no financial hardship whatsoever. It made my heart sink. That action was just too sterotypical to bear. As a white person, I do not understand that 200+ years later, we are obligated to pay for something we had nothing to do with. It is time to move on. It is past time to get on with the living of one's life and give up the fruitless exercise of rehearsing over and over and over the sins of the past. It is time to put that same energy on improving the black community and insisting that their young people choose education and a healthy lifestyle. Every single group on the face of the earth has been pushed off their land at one time or another! Study history. Being stuck in the past is nothing short of depriving onesself of the future.
Bravo Marco Williams on telling an untold story! Great, eye opening film. Intriguing and well told. Thank you... I learned so much.
The histories of the wrongdoings of the Indian American, African American, Jews, Irish, Christians and the list goes on not only in the United States but across the world displays the evil and selfishness of mankind. We have much to learn from the wrongs of our past and of our present. Open your hearts to hear the pain that has come from these wrong doings. Commit your heart to work to make a difference in the present and in the future.
We can't undo the past but we must not forget the past either. It isn't possible to pay off eveyone that has been harmed or hurt and money will not heal their pain, but the wounds can heal if each of us learn from the past and help to heal those around us that are hurting and we listen, and we work to not repeat the past.
Reparations is a divisive issue. In my family's history, we had Native American ancestors who suffered the " Trail of Tears" - some of whom died on the "trail". We also have in our ancestry, several "indentured Servants" which is simply another word for white slave - they never experienced "Freedom" in thier lifetime. These events - and African Slavery were part of the growing pains of the "New World". These practices, while unimaginable to us today, were not anything new. With regard to the African Slave Trade, the warrior tribes in Africa would conquer peaceful agrarian tribes and kill thier men, take thier women as breeding stock and slaves and enslave the children that survived.
Thus, they were enslaving thier fellow Africans - themselves. The main problem they faced was Maintenance of the slaves. When the opportunity to "sell" or "Trade" these slaves became commercially viable to the Portuguese and others, a huge increase in "gathering" occurred. Americans entered the "trade" at a fairly late date in the process. Also, in spite of the 2 million or so African slaves that came to America - the MAJORITY of African Slaves went to Latin America and other provinces and countries - not America. Therefore, in order to be FAIR and JUST in the pursuit of reparations, the source of the problem should bear the brunt of the responsibility and it would be necessary for all the offending countries to pay, commensurate with thier involvement in the practice. Slavery was an accepted internal way of life in Africa before the first African Slave was ever sold - therefore Africa must be the first country to ante up. Also, because there was a "profit" to the warrior tribes who HUNTED slaves, the correlating countries in Africa need to be assesed accordingly at a higher rate. Then comes the process of levying each of the other countries that participated based on the prevalence of thier involvement. Next, consideration of the expenses incurred in the effort to "break" the slave trade would need to be credited to the countries that tried and eventually stopped the practice - America was instrumental in this effort. Ultimately, considerations and credit must be given to social programs which helped the blacks economically and educationally after the civil rights movement.
So, in order to gain universal support of reparations, there is much work to be done. It is an UNJUST DEMAND to place the brunt of the responsibility for these occurrences on the shoulders of modern Americans - many of whom have fought on behalf of blacks and equal rights - the PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY and DEBT to descendants of slaves IS AFRICA'S.
Remembering history is absolutely important. However, there is no need to wallow in negatives for the sole purpose of denigrating people who are so distant from an occurrence so as to be innocent of it. One must also look to the future.
I recall when the Japanese were given reparations during world war two. Here in America they were all rounded up and put in camps in which they had to stay untill the war was over. I think they were given 25,000 dollars apiece, hmmm, not bad. I have never heard anyone question if it was something they deserved. Reparations due to racial dividing, slavery, and inhumane treatment is certainly due. But who would the recipiants be? I think it would be impossible to pull it off. Best to let the past slowly dimm away, and enjoy the progress we have accomplished.
My ancestors were driven ou tof the towns in northern Missouri and I'm as white as any European American (to use the politically correct pronoun) that lives here today. They were driven out because they were of a different religion than those they lived amongst and were driven out in the middle of the night at gunpoint. Many others were killed. You seldom, if ever hear about this little scandal. Why? Because I'm not constantly out yeling and screaming and demanding that I get "my" land back. I also don't have my own history month to go aroound reminding these people how cruel their ancestors were (something they have no more control over than I have over my situation).
If you REALLY want to talk injustice, how about what was done to the American "Indians"? They were forced out of their tribal lands that they had occupied for centuries. I don't hear them making any large fuss about it , either. In my book, they have more reason to be upset than I or anyone else who isn't a Native American has!
This is not the first case and certainly the biggest case of american people being banished. Check out the "Trail of Tears" where in the late 1820s thru the 1830s peaceful Cherokee indians were forced out of Georgia. President Jackon rejected a decision the the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of the indians and forced thousands of Cherokees out of their homes, lands, and businesses.
These Cherokees had their property taken and were marched at gun point to Oklahoma. This was done mostly in winter and they were forced to mostly trevel on foot over the mountains in snow and bad weather. The primary cause of this genocide was the greed of whites in Georgia whites who wanted the gold that was on Cherokee land, and the hatred that president Andrew Jackson had for all Indians. This was genocide plain and simple.
Watching this, its not hard to figure out why ignorant people consider themselves superior. It simply a matter of ignorance combined with a dark heart. In comparision to their own, they don't stand in the light of enlightenment, therefore it is needed to step on those that are different, simply because they aren't white. This is what their self esteem is born of. Extreme hate.
They can't stand next to the affluent whites, because they are usually poor, greedy, needy, uneducated, and looked upon as white trash. In America, when Europeans moved here, if a white man didn't own land, he didn't have the right to vote. Take a look at the Revolutionary War. Every one of the founding fathers of this country were affluent men that didn't want to pay taxes to the king of England, but once this country had its independence, the first order of the day was to impose taxes on the very citizens that fought against taxation without representation. As a matter of fact the first civil war here in America had nothing to do with slavery, it was about poor farmers not being able to pay the taxes on their land, therefore banks were foreclosing.
The average white American male was in dis-illusionment because they believed that independence would free them from taxes. But for them, taxes continued, only there was a different hand extended.
So back to the point, ignorant whites couldn't stand for blacks to be land owners, especially if their land exceeded what whites could claim as their own. Enter intimidation. Enter banishment from the community. Enter thieft by taking. And they, to this day, still can't understand why the Confederate flag is an absolute symbol of ignorance, hatred and everything else that is dark in heart. The fact that these very people still see it as an emblem of pride is a testament their continuing ignorance . . . . .but they believe in FREEDOM. Give me a break. . . . .may they find enlightenment in the afterlife.
There are lots of my relatives that are turning in their graves, waiting for the same thing---reparation---for alot longer than african americans. Nearly 500 years' worth, and counting! Who is going to make a film about that someday!! No one has the courage!!! And white women everywhere, being terrorized out of their homes by drug dealers---who will make reparations for this?? Entire neighborhoods being turned into slums, which were fromerly, and not that long ago, decent places to raise a family---now torn to shreds and left for dead? So Sorry! You're on you're own! You don't make enough on your clerk's wages to afford a place out-of-the-violence, oh well! WHO will pay me the real-time reparations of thousands of dollars I need NOW to recouperate from this? WHO?
my mother spoke of a time when the town of willimaburg or newport news viringia was a place where many black could walk down the street with other white. that was until Rockfella came to the town she did not say what he had came for but after the black people could no longer walk down the street they had to move out of certain places and no more walking on the same side of the street as whites. she was heartbroken but she would never tell us the rest of the story. when roots came on she was ill just watching the show she would say those things need to be left in the past.
when i questioned her she never spoke of the south only to say that where she lived and it was on a farm. she would tell us the name of her mother and father but not what happen to them. her father name was henry james before marriage she mother was lucy bell. other then this i have not ideal what happen to make her so sad and her not wanting to speak of which town it was. if someone knows please tell me if you have any imformation.
Today, the first two pages of my newspaper discussed the history of discrimination against blacks. My daughter spent six hours doing a project about racial discrimination against blacks. She has spent three weeks discussing it in her History class and she is in the seventh grade. She has done two projects about it already.
There comes a time when beating the discrimination drum starts to sound like a whine and it is at that point. If blacks want to continue this story, it will surely backfire. My kids aren't allowed to watch Ayesha anymore because of an entire show dedicated to discrimination against blacks. Want to be treated like equals? Start acting like one. The fact that Obama is kicking Hillary's butt should show you that people are not color blind.
The producers and development staff of this program should have collected outstanding data from the archeological excavations carried out in the untouched remains of the slave/shareholder houses located on the early sugar cane site known as the Jordan Planatation of Brazoria County, Texas.
In his role as an expert historical archaeologist, Dr. Kenneth Brown of the University of Houston documented material left "in situ" by African-Americans who were banished by whites from Brazoria county in the late 1800's. Dr. Brown conducted indepth analysis of the artifacts uncovered in this multi-season dig and was able to document many of the families that were forced to abandon their homes with little more than a moments notice. His data includes the historical (both oral and documented) outlines on why these people were forced to abandon their homes (and almost all of their belongings), gather together in groups and endure a forced expulsion.
These events may help to support the obvious conclusions many people have arrived at after watching the program. That this type of banishment occurred throughout the United States and that doing the right thing (reparations) will take time and accurate investigatioon.
If people are interested in finding out more about excavations of this rare and untouched slave/shareholder site, they are directed to the University of Houston Anthropology department site and to the rare early African-American artifacts listed and the history available for review.
I was sickened by the disgusting pleas for a few coins of reparation for the diabolical horrors inflicted on Blacks 100 years ago. The descendants upon whom these demands are being made are innocent of these banishments except for the burden of purifying their hearts to prevent recurrence. I found more dignified their refusal to pay reparation than of those who pleaded for it. If Blacks honored their forebears as much as they claim they would never reduce themselves to special pleaders and would not accept money from whites unless it were offered with contrite hearts.
Get out the violins,i heard about this -it happened 100 years ago. What this is really about is agitation for reperations. FORGET ABOUT IT,you blame people that weren't even alive. AOL is a lefty organization that throws off postings it doesn't agree with,and everyone knows it. Did you ever present the other side of the story,you know there always is.
For years I have struggled to share with others who I think need to understand more about the African American experince with great frustration I must add. But, here by just witnessing and walking with these families expereinces you have accomplished it all. What beautifully skillful telling of little known history you have accomplished. Your telling of this story now and then had the affect of transporting me in and out of this event and gently returning to now. I want to purchase this vidio and share it with those who need to understand the African American experince as told in your documentary. Do please tell me how I might be able to own this work.
Gratefully and Sincerely yours,
Dr. O. Perez
Editors note:
DVD copies of BANISHED are available from:
California Newsreel
877-811-7495
www.newsreel.org
I believe all of us lost dearly, but those whose ancestors were banished have a place in time where they can lock in a time and place where their ancestors were Grossly wronged by whites.I'm 48 and I've watched as caucasoids have some how saw fit to pay reparations to their own kind or even native americans, to the Japanese or Jews, But when it comes to my people who suffered and died in this country for over 400 years they tell us that we should just get over it! But I digress to the subject at hand , they lost Heritage,
They lost Tangible property,They lost the chance to grow up and be raised, oh to run and play in ones ancestor footsteps,to be taught wisdom and Knowledge under that same oak tree in the shade, they lost Great things ,Less thangreat things , things that most take for granted,However big or small they Lost and the White Democrats won.
all should NOT be forgotten. i am VERY glad that this film was made. why? because it's NOT OVER. racism is more hidden, because everyone's concerned about being POLITICALLY CORRECT - but it still exists ... more than you know. and to push history so far away and "forget about it" is only to hurt our people even more.
anyone who does not see the blessing in this film being made needs a huge wake up call. do your own research. find justice for yourself and your own family in what ever way you see fit ... but do something. we are a broken people, and things like this help the wounds to heal. no, they aren't healed 100% ... but it's a start.
kudos to the creator of the film.
God bless.
peace.
Thank you PBS for your Independent Lens series, and also thanks to Mr. Marco Williams for making the film Banished. It is important to know that this ugly part of American history that the film examines and brings to light, existed in many cities and municipalities across the country, but especially in the South, Mid-South , and Southwest. After President Lincoln "Emancipation Proclamation" and post reconstruction in America, blacks were thriving and suceeding in business and entreprenurship, education, politics and contributing to the communities in which they lived. In the those regions of the country illustrated by the film and elsewhere, politics and political power was the the instrument in maintaining white domination. The Democrats at that time, or as the "Dixie-crats" as they were later identified by scholars wanted to issue a new form of control and power, and maintain the status quo by using legislation to manipulate the law and fear that would insight racial tension. In 1898, the Wilmington,NC riots were a result of political domination being maintain by whites and to defeat by any means necessary the insurgence of white Populist & black Republicans from gaining power. However, unlike the riots and the forced exodus of blacks in cities or counties as mentioned in Banished, blacks/African-americans didn't disappear. Wilmington has come to terms with it's terrible past and has acknowledge it without reservation. Wilmington is now still a thriving coastal NC city that enjoyed and prospers because of this healing. I think Mr.Williams film looks for this type of resolution with the cities he documented in this film, and hopes that it is adopted now and for the future of all mankind.
This film was so effective in translating to me, the abhorant, continually historical reality that racism breeds on still today. Here I am a white 41 year old single parent woman- I can't find the words to describe the rage I feel for this continuous mistreatment. I watched these men of great pride for their history/family...I watched them communicate with brick walls, and I wanted to step in and screem. I was especially moved at the direct questioning of the title researcher and his absolute failure (deliberate), to acknowledge the robery (no other words) of precious land. Land I feel was more painful to lose, only trumped by the treatment of the Indians. I'm hovered in this state of shock from your video. The first thing I did the next day was to lay it all out for my 12 year old daughter in a way that I hope translated the message and crimes from the film. I made it a very conscious point to raise my child in a pool of acceptance, non-biased, God chooses who he makes and we're all loved in his eyes.. environment. Rest assured, my child will grow with a melting pot, not a hermatically sealed environment. GREAT FILM, NOW GET IT SHOWN ON ABC/NBC/...Primetime channels! I never heard anything about this until your film. Time to broaden the audience and educate the masses! Hat's off and a profound THANK YOU!
Florida paid reparations to the ancesters of Rosewood who were banished in the early 1900s about 1918 if memory serves. Thank you for the program, it was both heartbreaking and informative.
Thanks to Mr. Williams and PBS for covering this.
I am a Georgia resident and it couldn't have come at a better time considering our state legislature just adopted, without opposition, a bill that actually requests to reclaim land in Tennessee and North Carolina. The land (which is about 1 mile wide and 150 miles long---and includes part of the Tennessee river) legally belongs to Georgia but was misdrawn by a surveyor in 1818. 1818!!! This proposal was adopted on 2/20/08.
I wonder how eager these legislators will be to give back the Forsyth property----and any other Georgia properties from which African Americans were banished. I will ask them today.
Oh, yeah. That is something that we can do. We must not allow our input and concerns to be limited to blogs and living room soapboxes. I'm sure that Mr. Williams' aim was not merely informative entertainment but also to spur individuals to action. Contact your government officials. If you don't know who they are, go to congress.org and you can find out who your state and federal officials are by entering your zip code.
It amazes me that in 2008 this paradigm still exists. Equally amazing is the fact that the US has gained reparations for the Japanese, injured during Pearl Harbor, and the Jews, victimized by the Holocoust, yet they will fight tooth and nail to deny reparations for victims of Slavery.
If there was marked economic improvement for the majority of African Americans, I might feel differently, but the opposite is true. We are the only race that has not consistently prevailed and are still suffering the effects of slavery. Non-cohesive as a race, discriminated against, hired last/fired first, lower wages, poor education, etc.
I became quite angry looking at this program, as my Grandfather and Great-Grandfather had similar stories, one in Alabama, and the other in South Carolina. That is the precise reason that I never wanted to live in the South. So much ignorance and arrogance! America the beautiful is becoming America the ugly.
I was really mesmerized and painfully educated while watching Banished. It made me think of my father who died in 2005 at the age of 93. I'm the oldest of six and he taught all of us that all humans have goodness and deserve respect. We did not understand nor comprehend bigotry while growing up as a result of his genuiness.
As a family, we have set aside the monetary gifts received from his funeral and have been trying to decide how we want to memorialize his memory. I know after watching Banished that he would feel truely honored if we could figure out a way to use the money to memorialize the grandfather of Mr. Brown.
This is said like the nice townspeople stood at the edge of thier town and threw out a hand while bending at the waist asking AA's to leave. This is not so. They killed the AA's in most towns whether they left or not! They wanted thier money, possesions etc..., this was the main reason for asking them to leave in the first place. It's a shame what is left blind in this country while we are in every other country, straightening out "thier" democracy!
As USUAL we have the assorted cast of souless 'stale saltines' boo hooing and lamenting with their patented pablum whine of "my ancestors didn't own slaves or some of my best friends are....blah, blah, blah". The past is the past but the future of this country will be paid for by the blood of its sordid deeds...
This was an interesting program to watch. However if you want to get into reparations then how far are we to go back. You have to put a time limit on it somehow. If you don't you could say that all land in the US belongs to the Native Americans and we should all, each and everyone of us without Native American blood, leave the country because we don't belong here.
I think it has been too long to look back now. If the families wanted something done about this they should have started sooner. For some of these cases it has been almost 100 years. I do not believe in reparations for something you did not suffer yourself or had no direct part in. I have never owned a slave and to my knowledge no one in my family history ever owned any. Even if one of my distant ancestors did it has been at least nine generations or more since so why should I or anyone else be expected to pay or foot the bill for reparations.
I THINK THAT THE AFRICAN AMERICANS DID LOOSE BECAUSE OF THE BELIEVES OF THE WHITE CITIZENS. MANY OF THESES TOWNS ARE STILL WHITE TO THIS DAY BECAUSE OF THOSE ACTIONS. MY QUESTION IS WHY?
I've lived in Forsyth County, GA since the early 1990's and I found this program to be very enlightening. In all the years I've lived here I have never heard about the banishment that took place. My observation of the community is that when I first moved here, I encountered a few people who were obviously prejudiced against blacks. I say that because of the derogatory statements they made with little regard for who heard them. I'm from New England and was no stranger to it there, either.
Over the years, I think the climate has changed--mainly due to the influx of people from other areas and just more progressive thinking in general. I hope that PBS will publicize the program and run it again. I don't think many people here saw it. It was deeply affecting to me.
These people have been robbed of an opportunity to create intergenerational wealth for their families. It's a travesty and though I have never agreed with the concept of reparations, I think some type of compensation needs to be offered to people with claims that can be validated.
Hello,
I watched this after seeing the State of the Black Union 2008 symposium on 2/23/07. It came on here in eastern NC around 2 am in the morning on an extened PBS channel. I throughly enjoyed this film. I hope that you will continue to do more of these types of films.
Should you get the opportunity and if at all possible, please go down to the Domincan Republic and see how the Haitian People are living off of 2 dollars a day for cutting 2 tons of sugar cane in the sugar cane plantations down there. Everytime I look at a bowl of sugar or anything that contains sugar here I get angry.
Thanks again for your wonderful film.
Why was it not discussed what brought these nice townspeople to banish the black residents? Seems a VERY one sided report.
My relatives are from Pierce City and Monnett. We were told many years ago that the black residents were stealing from the poor white farmers in the area for several years. Finally after a brutal murder of a white woman(they had been caught in the act of stealing a farm animal) the people of Pierce City banded together and forced them from town.
This was not a mob action against blacks but a militia aimed at protecting their lives and property.
I thought the documetary "Banished" was great. I did not know about that time in history and I thank pbs for this documentary and any documentary on previous black generations and the struggles they went through for me. I am a grandmother now, and have been saving all this information for my small granddaughter. I'm not a hyphenated "african-american", I'm a black woman in America under American rule by no choice of my own. I was born in America which makes me an "American".
Marianne, I want to say "Amen". Noel F., you mentioned the NAACP? They've been "hoodwinked" and "bamboozled". They don't even know what they really stand for anymore. They are not what they used to be. They are into the entertainment business now. I bet they didn't know about the banisments; and if they did, why didn't they tell us??? Oh, it's not dressy dinners and entertainment. And Ray, is probably one of the named county residents. The perfect example of what's really going on in the minds of many white people while they're smiling and acting so down to earth.
It was very sad to see that those residents, in the 3 counties mentioned in the documentary, are just as sick as their ancestors. And probably would not hesitate to do the same today if they thought they could.
Somebody mentioned the fact that the KKK are much smaller than they were back in the early 1900's. They are not smaller in number today, they are under different names now. They are producers for black rap artist thinking it's cute to spew a bunch of obscenities about each other and the females in general. They are police officers, the govenors running the school systems in the urban areas. They are running the prisons and the justice systems that punish a black person 4 times harsher that the white counterpart that committed the same crime. They are the car manufactures that direct particular types of vehicles towards the black culture. I could go on. They have not gotten smaller in numbers, they found a more undercover way to destroy you. They don't have to wear the white dunce caps anymore, they got the young black male wearing the black hoodie and wiping out his own because he has no idea of where he comes from, so he does'nt know where he should be going.
It's all our own faults now. Repairations to me would be to change the tone of the billboards in the black neighborhood, get the (nice way of saying it) nude clubs off every residential corner in the neighborhood, supervision at the nice little recreation centers in the neighborhood, get the unhealthy fast food restaraunts off every corner in the neighborhood. I could go on there too. It's up to black people to help themselves and pay attention to what the candidate believes in and stands for, before you vote. Party allegiance needs to be broken. And those of us who attend church regularly, and are true Christians, need to take it to the ones that are not attending. They're not coming to the church! Stop fearing each other. And clean up your surroundings and take pride in what you do have. Most of all, quit "trying to be like" anyone else. You are "fearfully and wonderfully made" by the awesome had of God!
I am writing my dissertation about black land loss and its economic aftershocks for the African American community. My original focus was Pres. Johnson's mandated evacuations following the civil war, but this film has opened my eyes to a generation of Americans still living, being affected by this phenomenon.
I too think that the family member who wanted to remove his great-grandfathers' remains should have paid the bill first and then sued for renumeration. As it stood in the film, he gave off the appearance of trying to pull a fast one in the name of justice. Of course, I think it is plain that he only wanted justice, i.e. for the city to admit to the wrongdoing that caused the family's heartache in the beginning and to pay for the costs of transfer, but the entire process would have had more transparency if the descendants had paid for the service and then pressed the city, ultimately the responsible party, to reimburse the costs, using the courts if necessary. In addition, I think that the city should pay for the erection of a monument documenting the horrific chapter of the town's history and that this should be done in every community where this barbarism occurred.
Lastly, I was wondering if anyone had looked into the possibility of trying their case for land reclamation/reparation in states that still have courts of equity, of which Tennessee is one. Statutes of limitations tend to me more forgiving in these courts/chancery courts as their specific purpose is to find justice where money won't undo the damage...its a thought...
Thank you for sharing this piece of our history with us. Ignoring injustice never helps anything, it only makes the problem bigger, heavier and spreads the blame to engulf the next generation.
I was very annoyed at the way the mayors and citizens treated the descendants of the victims. Every time they ignored them, didn't do anything. It was so aggrivating. I feel so sorry for those poor blacks. I wish I could make a difference.
I was born and raised in Harrison AR and if anyone believes that that things have changed, they are sadly mistaken. I moved away in 1997 mainly due to the racism and the fact that I didnt want my children raised in that type of environment. I am married to a wonderful black man, he is the best thing that has ever happened in my life. We do go back to visit a couple of times each year as my family resides there. The first several times we went to visit, my husband would not spend the night in AR, we would drive back to MO each night so he felt comfortable, I would NEVER put him in a position to where he is uncomfortable. But now, we do stay with family as most all of them have embrased him and have come to love him as I do.
In the documentry the one counsilman stated that Tom Robb is the reason blacks stay away and Zimmerman stated it is because the KKK feel comfortable there and Zimmerman is exactly right. Oh dont get me wrong, there are a LOT of people that do not share the same beliefs as Tom Robb, but those people are just like me, they move away from it. You cannot change the minds of those biggots but my husband and I have been able to change the minds of a slight few of my family members and thats worth it to me.
I can remember that football game against Fayetteville and I can remember people talking and laughing about the incident in the resturant afterwards. I felt so bad at that time for that entire team and especially the young boy and his family that had to endure all it. I have never understood, even growing up in an all white community, why people were ridiculed due to the color of their skin.
One thing that a lot of people may not realize about the KKK is that they are against ANY RACE that is not white. They feel like the white race should be kept pure and not mix with ANY other races. I would love to know how many members of the KKK that claim to be PURE white are actually of mixed race, they might lose a few members that actually have had a few foxes in the hen house so to speak. Another thing, the KKK thrive on articles like this because they look at it like free publicity, keeps their name out there. Tom Robb jumps at all of those chances.
Also spoken of in the documentry was Aunt Vine and the scholership set up in her name for minorities. I guess thats Harrison's way of making an amends? Does this really honor Aunt Vine or are they just trying to get the proverbial monkey off their backs? Use it for an excuse to say we are trying to do our part? God bless the ladies that received the scholarships, even if they were given for their own piece of mind the 2 ladies will still be blessed. What the devil has made for bad, God will make it good!! You can believe that!!! As far as her grave goes, its quite possible that she could be buried in Maplewood Cemetery. Of course there are a lot of old family grave sites around so its possible that she was never laid to rest in Rosehill Cemetery.
I am not proud at all of the heritage of my home town, it is supposed to be a place that I am proud to say that I am from but thats not the case with me. The only thing that I am proud of is that I didnt buy into those thoughts and beliefs and the fact that I got my children out of there before it rubbed off on them too.
Great Job To Marco Williams and his staff. It really touched my heart! God Bless you!
I found Marco Williams' work as the director of Banished to be superior. This documentary reflected his talent and skill as an interviewer in difficult circumstances. He has my deep admiration for his ability and for the piece he turned out. This piece needed to be made. Sometimes in the Northern states we tend to forget the day to day struggles that are still going on in the Southern states.
Thank you Marco Williams!
Being native american I have a deep concern for the terrible injustice so many people have suffered all through history.
Yet I wonder why people that did not do these things owe anything to the people it was not done to.
We can only move forward and try not to repeat the past.We can not repair damage done by having innocent people pay money to the decendents of the people it was done to. It is just another form of injustice.
History should be accurate. And I believe people should know the facts.Knowing is important.To aknowledge these things is the only thing I feel is owed. A monument at the site, somthing visible to attest to the terrible injustice that was carried out there.
A community aknowledging they know and care that it once happend. But what more after all these years could possibly be fair?
Seeing this documentary brought back personal memories for me, because my great great grandparents' land was taken from them around the late 1800's or early 1900's. It's a horrendous thing to go through and effects subsequent generations more than people would think. I am very grateful that you all decided to air this very important piece. But I also think it needs to be known that it happened all over the United States. Blacks were regularly made to give up their property holdings with the threat of death or dismemberment if they refused to cooperate.
One thing I noticed about the residents of Pierce was that no matter how liberal they were, none really wanted to go so far as to give the victims of this crime monetary reparations. They gave some really flimsy excuses for not doing it. Had these people been any other race other than Black, I believe their complaints would have been seen as valid. But Blacks in this country are treated like the dirty little secret no one wants to get out.
As an African American, I feel that reparations (primarily the returning of land to the descendants of original owners) is the moral and right thing to do. However, I also believe that is impossible if not highly improbable.
The same racism that forced blacks off of their own land still exists today in the school boards, neighborhood committees, city halls, mom-and-pop diners, family owned businesses, corporate offices, fraternities, campuses, classrooms, fire departments, police precincts, hospitals, sports arenas, living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms all across the country.
True, meaningful reparations will never be realized because no one is really brave enough to say in plain language what reparations really mean. The only reparations that can be achieved will come in the form of documentaries like this one.
I saw the show tonight and was shocked. I am white, and was shocked! I had no idea. What I can't understand is why our wonderful government and US Supreme Court have not elected to grant reparations to the families of all those who were treated in such a reprehensible way. We have granted reparations to many groups, including the American Indians, but not our African Americans. I don't understand that at all.
By the way, it appears someone responded by saying how wonderful Pierce City is, and how underhanded the family member was. Not true. I would guess that's the Mayor or Pres. of the Chamber of Commerce writing that. How disingenuous of him or her.
I would love to see more shows on this subject, and hopefully something can be done to compensate the families for all of the wrongful deeds towards their family members. There are no words to describe how horrible all of that was, and apparently, still is.
A very sad situation. I was touched by this Documentery. My condolences to all involved. Skerp
They should have paid for the exhumation. That was manipulative what they did. At that point, I lost all sympathy for the black family and turned off the television and went to bed.
And to use the term "racial cleansing" was not right. Those people escaped with their lives and went on to have more children, unlike the Jewish people who were murdered by Nazis in an attempt at racial cleansing.
The film maker was biased, used inflammatory language, and manipulated and antagonised the people of Pierce Town.
He did nothing to promote his cause.
Thank you for an outstanding documentary about little-known tragic events in American history. I am particularly interested in the legal efforts to restore land and/or obtain reparations for those black families whose land was stolen from them in the aftermath of the mass expulsions.
The documentary seems to indicate that once a landowner occupies stolen property for seven years that the doctrine of adverse possession prevents any additional claims from being made by its rightful owners. Although it has been many years since my property law class in law school, I do remember that the doctrine of adverse possession was founded on the idea that the rightful landowner had meaningful access to the court system to attempt to reclaim his land, and that his failure to do so for a period of time authorizes the party who is using his land to claim legal title.
Here, however, it would be pure fantasy to say that displaced black landowners had any meaningful ability to avail themselves of the state court system in the early part of the 20th century. The title attorney interviewed indicated that the Federal courts were open to black litigants during this time; even if this was true, however (and there is reason to doubt that the southern Federal courts after Reconstruction were any more hospitable to black litigants than were the state courts), this was primarily if not entirely a state law claim that would have been dismissed by the Federal courts.
I also seem to recall that the party claiming adverse possession as a ground for legal title must do so in good faith and with reasonable basis to claim legitimacy; how could a white squatter who knowingly occupied land from which its rightful black owners were driven by mob violence ever meet this criteria? I would like to know if the attorneys representing these families have made a genuine effort to try to defeat the adverse possession claims on these grounds. Also, one other point that the documentary did not raise is that the current owners of these properties are protected (presumably) from these claims by their title insurance; therefore, it would be the title insurance companies who would need to defend and ultimately pay any legal judgment on these actions. I could easily see the title insurance industry as a whole deciding to reach a mass settlement which, if it did not restore actual title to the land stolen from these families, at least provided the descendants of the owners with financial compensation for their losses.
In short, I am not willing to take as a given the conclusion that these were historical tragedies but that there is no party who today can compensate the families who were driven out; until a few years ago, the same was said about Holocaust victims and other groups who have since been rewarded reparations. If anything, the legal rights are much clearer and straightforward here, as there are clear records of legal title to these properties in these families with no indication that they were sold. What is being done??
To Marco Williams and PBS,
What a sad and thought provoking program you did, when you did "Banished". It brought me back to my upbringing in Louisiana (born in 1946 left in 1969 after college). I was raised hating blacks (N's as we called black people) all my life. We were raised thinking blacks were between the animals and humans. This is embarrassing to admit, but true. I vividly remember putting a white painted piece of wood on the back of city busses to make black people move in back of them so I could sit in their seat, even though there were seats available to sit in in front of them. If the black people didn't move, the bus driver stopped the bus and threw them(literally) off the bus!This I can now admit was horribly wrong, and thankfully is not where I am now in my life. I had to leave Louisiana and allow myself to grow emotionally and realistically to realize I don't hate anyone, especially because of their ethnicity. I am humbled by my past, but thankfully I was able to change myself through reality and soul-searching.
My actions, though terrible, are forgiven by my appologies to mother earth and by my current actions. I don't think the actions of the cities cited in your riveting program are forgiveable through an appology. I think people run off their land, and then their land allowed to be taken(semi-stolen) by other white people should be addressed and corrected. I don't think you're stirring up anything, I think you are addressing a problem that should be corrected. Maybe we need some more of the wonderful man's (Dr. Martin Luther King's) Peace Marches. Although I scorned and yelled at the first ones, I would be honored to join any current ones. I am a different and better person now.
Thanks Marco and PBS!
I just had to say that I personally believe that things can get better but first we have to teach tolerence. When I was a young girl my father whipped me for playing with a malota boy. I also watched him take a belt to my little sister for taking a fish from a young boy. He was black and my father left welts and bruises all over her back.
No one will ever be able to wipe those images from my mind or remove the pain. His ignorance is unforgiveable. How can a man who proclaims to love his children be so cruel. We owe the people of this nation some form of retribution for the damage we have done and are still doing. By the way I am now 43 and would like to see real change before I leave this realm of existence. I have to say if I get to heaven and god is black I will be glad to see him anyway. He has been a gracious and loving god.
I believe retribution is due the decendents of all the people who were banished from these towns. If we can take away we can give back. I suggest that we look into what has been given back to the American Indian and use these as examples of how things can be done. We will never be able to make up for what our ancestors have done to either of these peoples but we can try.
Today is a new day and should be treated as such. We can not live in the past but we can learn from it. Stop making the same mistakes. Name calling never stopped any wars but it certainly started a few. If we can spend billions of dollars cleaning up the mess we or someone else makes on the other side of the world ,why can't we fix this? Love is blind. Love each other.
My family moved to Harrison just over a year ago from the north. One of the first things I noticed was a desperate lack of people of color in Harrison. Namely, there were few, and scarcely that number, African Americans in Harrison.
After being in my new position for a few months, my boss, a veteran VP of the local hospital came to me, called me into her office, closed the door, and whispered, "The hospital was now totally integrated". She went on to say, "We hired a", she stopped and looked around as if someone had followed us into her office and was hiding behind a plant, "black woman, she works in housekeeping". I sat there with my mouth open and deer in the headlights glazed eyes. Did I hear that right? She really did not just say that, did she? She did. I never saw this woman who, in accepting the position, seemed to have changed the hospital forever. She stayed only a few weeks and was gone again. But at least the hospital was not totally integrated.
In the year I have been here in Harrison, I have felt the ugly underlying lack of respect for people of color and pretty much people with differences here in town. No one can tell me racism is going away. I have heard the racist comments, sexist statements, and homophobic slurs first hand. I do dare to confront them, but I am well aware of the backlash that is possible. I have seen that too.
Having said all that, I have also seen people here, mostly people who have moved here from somewhere else with plans to stay, who are not racist. I do think Harrison is changing, but not very fast. People have warned me where not to go because it's "Klansy" over there. Some people notice the monochromatic nature of the area as I have, and they too don't like it. But there are still some powerful people here in Harrison that fight change, at any cost.
I have this final thing to say. Don't run away from Harrison. Some of us living here want it to change. But, if you won't come, if you won't settle here in Harrison or Boone County, if you walk away, you are saying that it's OK for us to stay racist. We need people to come here, and large numbers of you. People to vote, people to start spending money with supporters, people to start showing up at things, people to say, now wait a minute, that's not right. The KKK has 500 members. Only 500! Come take back Harrison. 100 years without diversity is far far too long.
Thank you Mr. Williams for a a fantastic film exposing something that very much needs to be exposed. I live in Duluth, MN, where the population of black people dropped by about half after a lynching in 1920. It was only because the lynched were from out of town, I believe, that more did not flee. (Bigger towns also, during this Nadir of race relations, had a much tougher time pushing out their black citizenry.)
I find it interesting that reparations for something that happened *within living memory* is so often mistakenly dismissed by referring to the theft of land from Native Americans. The fact is that Native Americans were stolen from in a time when the law supported white pioneers and the government in their endeavors. Treaty violations can thus be addressed (and should be), but much of it is lost in the murk of orchestrated *lack of law* rather than a violation of it. The wrongness of what happened there is on a huge scale, but it differs significantly from what happened to black landowners circa 1900.
In these cases, and your film only addresses a few of thousands, there was a *law* that was violated by people who are still benefiting from that theft. Maybe the one who stole it died--albeit usually only recently, but their children are often alive and well. No doubt that some of those thieves were likewise poor, and seeking reparations from them might be futile. However, they still were thieves, and they need to be exposed for being so. Their children should step forward and acknowledge what was done. An apology at the very least would be in order. Payment would be nice, and should be sought if there is a clear line of legal argument.
But the most real thing is that their theft was allowed by a local government--there was conspiracy and collusion by those local authorities. They should be held responsible. A generation is nothing. The fact that we pretend to forget that something occurred because it was perpetrated by someone who died a few years ago is ridiculous and self-serving.
It starts with an apology and it continues with respect and an acknowledgment of responsibility. May your film be a part of making that happen.
Hi! The show was just another reason why I must continue to fight for my rightful place in the United States of today. As an African-american man who was born and raised in the Deep South, I totally understand the experiences of these families. My birth certificate has "Negro" on it. I experienced racism directly while growing up in Florence, South Carolina and I STILL DO SO here in New York City. Yet, many whites have the audacity to say we should learn to forget the pass. Tell a Jewish person that and see what happens!!!!!!!!!!!
The documentary Banished was informative and tragic. I am continously amazed at the amount of crimes that were committed during that period of time that went unpunished. Where were the " so called" authorities when innocent people were being lynched and ran off their properties? Obviously, they were a part of the mob that committed those terrible acts of violence. Every year we learn of various atrocities that occured in this country and I commend the film maker for revealing this tragedy. I recently seen the docementary concerning the Tulsa Oklahoma race riot in 1921 and that was horrible also. From reading about these horrific acts there is always some lame reason for starting their path of destruction when in fact it was pure hatred.
At this time, I would say that the local and federal government should step in and provide reparations to the descendants of the families. Why is it always so controversial when reparations are due to African- Americans?
Thank you for this revealing documentary. As the nation witnesses the phenomenon of Obama, it is sobering to realize that for some parts of the country, all men and women are NOT born equal - even in this 21st century. I just hope and pray that it is a tiny fraction of this wonderfully diverse nation.
While reparations and memorials were interesting methods of coming to grips with history, what I found chilling was the manner in which the leader of the KKK and the retired man could calmly tell their black interviewer that they did not like blacks. It just shocked me to the core that racism is a value that some people can uphold openly and have no qualms about expressing - makes a 52 year-old bi-racial person realize how naive she has been or what a charmed life she has lead thus far!
I wonder how you cope with meeting such people, Marco Williams? Does it make you feel threatened? Do you just soldier on? Do you feel compassion for these narrow-minded souls? What was it like off-camera when you went into their homes? How come they even allowed you in? Are they so proud of their beliefs they will use any medium to make sure they get a nation-wide hearing?
So Charles Brown puts the funeral home owner on the spot to do the exhumation. After coming onto the owner with a rap about honor he stiffs the guy on the bill. Then he wants the town to pay it. Again, Brown can come across as moral. Either way, no cost to him.
Nothing is fair and just of what these families endured. They were stripped of life, liberty, and freedom to possess ones family, value, traditions, and culture. It is a sickning, sad, shame of evil upon one's society in any town, city, community, or world we all live in. May all of God's love shine upon the families pain, sorrow, and loss. May all family members keep the love, strength, and courage to face this pain that was brought to your family. It sickens me of the violence, hatred, and fear that only evil can bring to loving families as yours. May you all enjoy and unite in every family reunion and new generation of such precious individuals.
A Girl from the North who was raised in diversity.
I find it amazing that people are saying Mr. Brown wasn't upfront about what he wanted done once the body was moved. It's obvious because he was in fear that he may not have got the coroner to agree to move the body, had he told him his plan at first. It's bad enough his families land, property was stolen which rightfully belongs to the Brown family. Then the coroner has the nerve to complain about Mr. Brown not being fair, yet that county stole his family's land, and yes Mr. Brown paid the coroner. I am glad Mr. Brown took his loved one's remains out of that hateful town with those hateful people who were so infested with hate.
My blessings, prayers and strength to the Browns and other descendants whose family suffered this horrific terror. Keep your faith in God and I believe God will one day wake up those towns, and teach them how to be human beings one day, because they certainly are not.
Secondly, for those of you who made ignorant statements like, if the native americans didn't get reparations, then those families shouldn't. Not true, many Native Americans were able to obtain some land from the government and are living on reservstions. Some tribes were able to build casinos on their property and are making a profit that goes within their communities;so please don't be selfish and use the Browns family or the other families that suffered from this situation to even compare, because the victims in the "Banished" documentary received absolutely nothing.
Words cannot express how I feel hurt for those families. It was sheer, American terrorism and it is so sad that it happened to innocent families that just wanted a part of the American Dream, but it was not allowed to them because they were Black. These victims' ancestors not too long before that endured the pains of slavery and then they had to experience being chased from property they owned. It's such a sin and shame.
The people living in those counties that know of this has done nothing to correct those wrongs other than benefit from land and property stolen from other people. I think it is a very, shameful stain in American history. I don't know how they can wake up every morning knowing many of them are living on stolen land. The Japanese and Jews received compensation for crimes against them. But for some reason many whites in this country and our government feels that descendants of African-American slaves, and victims of crimes like in "banished", Tulsa Riots, etc., are not deserving of any reparations or compensation and don't even feel we deserve an apology.
After watching that documentary my feelings have completely changed for this country and how I view it. This isn't just one county, but many counties this happened in within America. I think it is sad that our government did not force those counties to pay some form of compensation. The counties could have at least paid for the headstone for the Browns loved one, how inhumane. I'm sure they'll welcome a dog before they welcome an African-American. I pray that God wake the people in those counties up to do right as human beings instead of being hateful. That is not being human at all. I am glad those counties are exposed and shows the face of what America tries to hide, that racism is alive and well.The people in those counties just expressed so much prejudice ignorance and hate, and will teach their children to hate as well. My prayers go out to the Browns and Stricklands for the pain their ancestors had to endure. Peace be with them.
While my heart goes out to the Brown family, they should really look upon what happened as a blessing in diguise. Would they really want to raise a family in a place with such small minded, mean, bigoted and not terribly bright (it is easy to pick out the responses from residents of Pierce - the grammar and spelling are atrocious) people?
America has gone all over the world to help all civilizations. But it has failed at HOME!. GOD is watching!!!. And when we are all called home some day, AMERICA will stand and pay dearly before GOD!!!.
Greetings -
This film, Banished, is a must needed look into more of the hidden history of the United States. So often our children are lead to believe that they have no real roots other than slavery. Many do not want to talk about the successes the enslaved gained after slavery ended. Banished reveals another painful part of our history in the US. However, its importance outweighs its painfulness. I thank you for being an instrument of conversation and change. Thank you for keeping the truth before our eyes.
Kudos and keep the lens rolling.
Thank you so much for this film. I hope that this story of our past will be a lesson for our future.
I totally understood the African American and their horrible dilemnas. Of course there is no money that can give back what they lost; but, that is all that is left nowadays. I am a second generation of Jews who were deported from Romania. My grandparents had land, a business, a home, things. After the war, they were dead in the camps, along with 3 of the siblings who did not survive. My father, his brother and sister, were never able to get their land back, since the communists took over. There is no money that can give them back what they lost, but what is left is financial reparation. I hope the African American get what they so deserve.
I am a bi-racial American, born in the 60's--when my parents' union was considered an aberration by many. I am married to a Frenchman who came here as a young artist attracted by romantic images of American popular culture. He certainly schooled himself on the uglier side of this country but, until we watched this film together, I don't think he understood how deeply rooted racism really is in this country. The expression of pain on his face was unforgettable when I turned to him and said, "Welcome to America cheri." Thanks to this film, I think my husband better understands my hopes for and real fears about raising our daughter to be able to navigate (and survive with identity intact) the quagmire of American race relations.
Bravo Marco!
I am completely surprised that anyone is under the impression that racism is done and over with. It should be! Pierce County, is full of the most ignorant trash. If my memory serves me right we are living in the year of 2008. How can a group of human beings be scared or disgusted by another group of human beings. Causcasions have always had a problem with other racist from the begining of time. First with the Native Americans who were here first and minding their business until they came and messed that up and then the African American's who were "BROUGHT!!!!!" to this country to be used and abuse.
The very people who brought us here were now scared of us. Yet raped us and made us take of your children. You tried your best to keep us ignorant. The joke was on you, we contributed alot to this country. Screw you and your reparations we are far beyond you and your ragedy hand outs. You know what your ancestors have done and what you continue to do. After all we have gone through , how hard is it for you to allow a grangchild to remove his grandfather from your racist ground? how would that hurt you in anyway if you have changed soooooo much let him go! I will personally spread the word about racist, cold, and close minded your little county is.
The creators of this program did a great job- If they let personal feelings get in the way, this program may have instilled anger but, instead inspired hope and healing.
A few parts that stuck with me were...
1)The women in the cafeteria who stuttered, obviously wanting to say "nigger" but, not wanting to say that on camera-was completely lost for another word to use-and four to six seconds later, almost painfully "colored" came out as if she was regurgitating the word.
2)The politically correct term is "Cross Lighting"-give me a break. Maybe we can get the EPA or AQMD to issue fines each time have a "Cross Lighting" ceremony to for polluting the air.
3)The man at the Pierce City Mortuary-good guy and very level headed in the way he handled himself and the situation. (no punn intended regarding the flat top)
4)Forcyth County protest-just 20 years ago there was that much resistance and hatred by the KKK and other white supremest groups and sadly, I doubt if much has changed
After watching the Banished Documentary, I understand why the Brown family wanted thier grandfather moved and I am sorry for all pain they have suffered.What I don't understand is they way they went about getting it done.They were underhanded and manipulative. Also does Murray Bishoff forget where is is from and the community he resides in. Pierce City Missouri is not the same town it once was in 1901. Marco Williams should of done some more research before completeing the documentary because there are African Americans living in Pierce City who are respected and well known through out the community. I think Murray Bishoff needs to realize his town of Pierce City is a great place and if he thinks our culture is embarrasing he can leave...
Harrison, Arkansas has a special dishonor. They will be forever referenced in popular culture-comedy clubs, feature films, documentaries, network dramas, etc. as a magnet for unreconstructed anti-black bigots. Sad. I'd like to also ask those who call welfare reparations how can that be when most welfare recipients have been and still are whites?
John Blubagh:
The story was about African Americans, not Native Americans. Native Americans have more reperations than African Americans have ever received. Although, in my opinion they deseve loads more....but your comment shows that White Americans can NEVER deal with the pain of the African American and will always attempt to downplay our pain and their culpability!!!!!
Great show I really enjoyed.But the same thing is happening today.They have just dressed it up and now call it Gentrification.
I agree with the last post. Only the Lord can heal this in all of our hearts, but we have to do it His Way.
I also think of Corrie Tin Boom and her sister in a Nazi concentration camp. Daily, they lived through horrible things. Through an act of God, she was released; she began speaking about forgiveness [after the war]. After one particular speech, a man came up to her; he was one of the cruel guards at the Ravensbr�ck camp. Her sister had died there, while she escaped. She recognized him as he put out his hand to thank her for her speech. He had realized his cruelty, asked the Lord for forgiveness and become a christian. She couldn't put her hand out at first; then she felt a surge of warmth in her hand and shook this person's hand as the love of God healed them both. Her books are healing...Corrie Tin Boom.. Book title - Tramp for the Lord, 1974. Great book!
We cannot live in the hurt. Only God [jesus] can fully repay people for their pain. No amount of money will heal it.
This 'Banished' story needs to be told and can help through knowledge of it. Pray and ask God to help to release you from the pain. Yes, it is hard to be here at times, yet other people are dying crossing the ocean in small crafts to get here ( 'wet foot/dry foot' in Miami, FL)
Only God can heal the heart of a bigot --- Big 'I' Got [in my OWN mind]... 'puffed up' mind.... God doesn't like 'ugly' as we say in the South, and don't believe those persons are living great lives. They are not. God can fully repay those persons in many ways...to remember what they did fully and repent of their sins. Racism is sin too...
p.s. I wrongly spoke about Palm Beach & Mr. Flagler [he bought, not stole the land]. I apologize for my error.
My family's story is more of the same. On October 21, 1916 Anthony Crawford, my greatgrandfather was lynched in Abbeville, South Carolina. At the time of his murder, 427 acres of prime land in Abbeville. He was arrested for talking back to a white man, jailed, beaten half to death, dragged through town, strung to a tree and riddled with bullets. The family was run out of town, his elder sons were denied the right to administer their father's estate thereby setting the stage for the theft. His 427 acres of land sold off in bits and pieces. All of our land was stolen. The "mob" went back to their homes, and those who killed him were set free.
All I can say is GREAT !!! This was something that was new to me and I got joy out of watching this. I enjoy black history and finding out about our past. I do look forward to viewing more of your film like this one.
First, Charles Brown was disingenuous about his intention to ask Pierce City to pay for the disinterment of his great-grandfather. He should have made his request at the outset to avoid any confusion. Why should anyone who saw or read about this story trust someone else in similar circumstances? A paradox is that Mr. Brown at the time of the film still had not put a marker on Mr. Cobb’s grave.
The issue of reparations is unresolvable both in principle and as a matter of cost. The history of the planet is one of something or somebody taking from something or somebody else. Few would argue that the ancestors of the families who were banished from places like Pierce City and Forsyth County were horribly wronged. On the other hand, if their descendants deserve reparations so do the Native Americans who were there first. One could even make the argument that the Earth is a Commons where real property rights should not exist in the first place.
Thanks for the great and informative progaram.
Mimimizing and or dening a problem will not make it go away.
" The truth will set you free" but it does not mean it will not be painful;
But in the end through the process real freedom will happen for us all.
I recall the whiteness and KKKnes of Forsyth Co. GA. I was not aware of how this came to be. There are many symbols that may be offensive to some population. History cannot be changed, but we must and should remember and not repeat our bad behavior and acts. We cannot change the past and cannot buyoff the memories, but we should work to live to a higher expectation.
I grew up in small town very near Pierce City, Harrison and Tulsa. and I have family that farm very near the town. I had never heard of the Pierce City tradgedy. I am a 5th generation Missourian. I left for college in 1961. Before that I listened to many stories about SW Missouri..by my2 grandmothers. My biggest shock and embarrassment during the show was the narrowmindeness and current attitudes of the current citizens.I am 64, completing my MFA and a liberal or at least a humanist. I am shocked at the comments the people in Harrison and Pierce City made. How many generations will it take for these citizens to realize they need to change their predjuices. I am so sorry for their unkindness they continue to inflict on people of differnt ethnic backgrounds.
Greetings,
It is a sad truth, and an evident fact that The African living in America has no right to protection under the laws of the United States. They were and remain the property of the former slave owners, as long as they carry their surnames. True citizens do not have renewable voting rights. I encourage the Strickland family to place themselves under the protection of the 227 year old Treaty between the United States, and the Emperor of Morocco for true liberation and justice. You have a Supreme Consul in Washington, DC founder of TONOMA Inc. the only federally recognized agency for the nationalization of the African in America. You owe it to yourselves to read the Sundry Moors Act of 1790, and proudly embrace your rich and glorious heritage with a new understanding of our dilemma as displaced, citizens. As far as reparations, If is unconstitutional for the United States to grant reparations to people who are not represented by a sovereign and national power. I personally believe it would cripple this nation. I would be enough to move out of their jurisdiction, and under the protection of the true sovereign power. I pray for your understanding.
May Peace be with you.
Governor-Moors Of Georgia
I thought the film was interesting to say the least. I'm sure you screener's won't post anything that is against what you believe however. Whites are not evil. Past wrongs deeds have been enforced upon every racem by every race. 300 years is a very, very long time to still blame a group of people for your misfortunes. The Native Americans have had this entire land taken from them. Maybe the Blacks, excuse me, African Americans and the rest of the population should consider giving the Natives some compensation. If African Americans were the majority, Anglo-Saxon's would be erased within 10 years. This film has made a small town and it's residents targets for hate crimes. Oh wait! There white! There can be no hate crime or race driven criminal motives. I am white, don't have it easy, nor has anyone in my family. We work for what we have. We've never owned slaves. We sure have alot of blacks that consider us friends and it will always be that way. Would you present a film about the hate crimes that have happened in California against whites? The answer: NO.
Editor's Note:
Contrary to this viewer's opinion, ITVS and Independent Lens have presented many documentaries that look at violence perpetrated against white Americans including SENTENCING THE VICTIM, KNOCKING, LARRY VS. LOCKNEY, STRANGER WITH A CAMERA, just to name a few.
I watched this segment when it came out, I truly believe it could be longer. But other than that, I liked it. I noticed that many people still express the "blind eye" towards reparations from slavery by saying "Native Americans never got any!" People create an excuse in order to not fully confront the situation and so that people can be stirred in a different direction. Yes, it is horrible what happened to the Native Americans and what continuously happens to them till this day. But it still doesn't cancel out the fact that African-Americans were also banished from their lands. Half of the people that watched this segment probably think that this doesn't happen anymore in modern times. Banishing is a harsh word for 2008- but we now call it Gentrification and Red-Lining.
I grew up in the northern tier of the US. My mom worked hard but there was barely enough money to pay bills. A neighbor used to leave groceries on the back step. One day in conversation with that neighbor a comment was made about black folks and I knew then that were my skin color brown or black there would be no groceries on the back step.
I join with folks who are praying for revival in America. The healing comes when we turn our hearts to the Lord and repent for the sins of our own selves as well as the sins of the nation. Scripture says, "If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, pray and seek My face, then I will hear from heave and heal their land." I would just like to say things would move a little faster if more folks were making the effort to pray and seek His face, humbling themselves, and repenting for sins of the fathers and sins of the nation. God is God. We need to repent first for pushing Him out of American life. and let Him lead us in prayer for repentence of our own family lines and repentence for the nation.
There will always be those who are driven to exploit and hurt others. Once there was feudalism, now there is capitalism and corporatism. There will always be evil and it will figure out yet another way to dominate others. Most of us have some form of injustice in their histories, both modern and ancient, current relations and ancestors. Stand guard and be heard. Be responsible and vote. Do all the good moral things in life. Look inward. Live by example.
"Those who do not know the past...."
This story marks another point in the long history of dispossession experienced by African Americans. The point is the choice of liberty rather than equality. This choice gives some the freedom to eradicate the equality of others. It is simply remarkable that some who have enjoyed the benefits of this choice encourage those who suffered because of it to "just get over it." There is little logic in such a suggestion for those who suffered.
I just want to job well done. A very good job. It is something that should give everyone something to think about,no matter what color you are or where you came from. It is real sad that there is places where there are no black folks. Here is the crazy part, I think so. If go into someones house who lives in this town you can find or hear something that was invented by a black person or a black person is on tv,the radio etc etc etc. So in a way they are living with, next to a BLACK PERSON. Keep up the great job you are doing.
Come on you guys, we cannot change the past!!!! The only thing we can do is change the future, everyone has an equal opportunity today, to attend college and make something of themselves, so why do we have to go down this slave path, decade after decade. I understand, white man bad, black man good......Land has been reserved for the Indians, I believe they're called reservations and it’s a dump…….. I also believe Indians are allotted extra cash/if not free to attend college, and yet very few do...... And what about the Mexicans!!!! 1/3 of the U.S once belong to them……..what about them, do they get reimbursed? I would suggest getting educated and buying up as much property/land as possible, then making the white man pay for it…….
Reparations for Victims and their Families of Social Injustice:
We ALL have “skeletons in the closet” for which we are ashamed of and would not appreciate the cost of redressing past indiscretions of injustice and/or violence committed upon others, but this is why we are a democracy and why we have elected officials to carry out our responsibilities for the good of society and ourselves.
I believe that although representatives of business corporations,local, city, state and federal governments that they represent possess no "direct" responsibility for the violent or unjust actions of individuals or business corporations perpetrated in the past or present, they are responsible for any active conspiracy, promotion, cover up, or failure to redress said victims due to “our” complicity and the of the acts of individuals, and/or business enterprises which have profited, or continue to profit from such criminal acts, and injustice inflicted upon individuals, or groups of people, and their families as long as evidence exists and is investigated by a court of law.
Any manner of reparations and compensation provided for victims, and their families that are redressed by local communities, businesses, city, state, or federal governments as a result of criminal actions of social injustice are valid and acceptable as long as both parties reach mutual agreement.
Representatives of societal communities, business corporations, local, state, and federal governments are responsible for any acts of social injustice, criminal behavior, or financial responsibility committed in complicity throughout history, as well as the present AND the future.
Why is there such a collective response of denial and diminishment of this agonizing and unholy period of our history of slavery by certain Whites. The descendants of Africans continue to suffer from 300 years of forced and inhuman chattel slave labor and untold horrors that this highly profitable industry produced. It has wrought complete disenfranchisement to it's descendants that continue and will continue into the forseeable future. However, this institution has produced untold wealth for its early settlers whose decendants continue to deny, rebut and disclaim the horrors inflicted on its victims. No one wants to take responsibility for the dehumanization of a whole race of people; the loss of opportunity, life and the pursuit of happiness. This cruel institution remains an enigma to some, and a denial for others.
The very fact that White Americans are racialized to believe that skin color allows them a superiority over non whites will keep the spirit of racism alive and well. No matter the horror and atrocities afflicted upon African Americans it will still remain our problem, not the nations problem and one that we should accept without comment or reparations that is at the very least have been afforded to other oppressed groups, i.e. Native Americans, Japanese, Jews, etc.
I have heard these storie all of my life about african Americans escaping to the North sometime with just a few personal items,and the clothing on their backs leaving everything they own behind.They were running for their lifes.I feel that repartation in some form should be issued.The goverment recognized it's mis- treatment of the Japanese,radiation victims etc. and compensated them. The Native Americans were given back some their land they are still fighting to gain what is rightfully theirs.The Jewish people have received compensation also and from my understanding they are still pressing on to obtain what is rightful theirs.I want my ("forty aces and a mule")There has always been a double standard when African Americans ask for their a piece of the pie.
WOW. What a documentary. I just can't say enough of how well this film was done. An extremely "moving" experience in my opinion. As a Professional Land Surveyor, seeing the Title Attorney try to explain his opinion was PRICELESS. Many landowners have absolutely no idea with regard to the "taking" of land by Adverse Possession. The rules of Adverse Possession are quite extensive; ALL of them must be satisfied for a judgement. Never, before last night, would I have thought that this thing could have happened.
As for the "exhumation" story, jeeez; I'm not so happy about the way the fellow approached "the bill" with the Coroner and the City, but honestly, it was what, $750?? You'd think the Mayor himself could pony up that kind of coin on his cities behalf. I can only guess that the citys' attorney looked upon it as setting a precedent towards "reparations". Regardless, thanks for pointing out a couple of places to remove from my vacation/just traveling through list. Again, extremely well done Documentary.
I think this show was very unbalenced. I grew up, went to school with blacks and know they don't welcome whites into their communities. How many whites are welcome in certain parts of N.Y or Indiana? If a white person is proud of his or her heritage they are racist. To want to remove graves and rehash old wounds is a waste of time. I also believe if we give blacks reparations we should also give the Native Americans,Irish Americans and every other ethnicity money and/or land. Time to accept the wrongs of the past and move on to the future. I wonder what these folks would do with the land if they recieved it for free? My family is from the south and never owned slaves or stole land...but we are southern and therefore idiotic racist. One of the largest slave owners in the south was a Black man from Charleston S.C. Black on black crime goes back a long way back...to the slave traders of Africa. These slave traders in Africa sold there relatives to whites and were removed from there birthland. Should the Blacks who live here also receive land in africa? Just some thoughts...Great job PBS for at least broadcasting television that gets people talking...which would cure alot of ill's in every area of the world!
Why start with the black's? Are they willing to make concessions to the Native Americans who's land it was that was stolen in the first place? Racial cleansing in this country started with the wholesale slaughter of thousands if not millions American Indians.
After viewing "Banished", I am moved as a 61 year old caucasian female to add my thoughts to the above mentioned. I am an avid believer that we are ALL equal. I mean ALL. Anyone breathing was created by Jehovah and Jesus in their own image. If we all had a personal relationship with our Creator, much of strife could be eliminated. We are all either Jew or Gentile and all loved equally by the Lord. Why can't we love each other like the Lord loves us?? If we all got back to Genesis, meditated on His precious book, and lived according to the Father's will, we could avoid future atrocities that plague humanity because of self imposed importance, jealousy, need for power, and greed.
When I was in high school, I had a girlfriend, who was black. I wanted to go shopping on a weekend. My parents would not allow me to go, and I told my friend that I could't understand why my parents acted this way. I can hear her voice as clearly today as then saying, "I know why". "You are white and I am black"!. "So what", I said? I was sad and still am. I still do not understand a seperation between human beings. One may be different in skin color, education, an status, but when we ALL stand in front of the Lord someday, all of these things will be of no importance.
The Native Amercans, Black Americans, Jews, and all others who have suffered will find relief that only our Savior can provide in heaven if they know the Lord. The gentleman who penned "Amazing Grace" was clear who he was.
The bible teaches that we are in the final days and that the Rapture and Tribulation are the next events in the church schedule. Humans are evil, by nature, but there is a sure remedy. Jesus. It does not matter who you are, the Bible states that ALL will bow above the earth, on the earth and under the earth in honor of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. No matter your color, status, education, or belief system, ALL will bow. One can either accept the gift from the Creator, live for His pleasure to His glory or reject Him and lose everything. He died for us. If we lived for Him, our sights would be on love instead of hated.
We are supposed to be a Christian nation, but I understand there are only 10% who are.. Our only hope, as humans, is in the name and person of Jesus. If you pick him, you will never be sorry for an eternity.
This same thing happened in my family. I want it looked into the land belonged to our family and was taken from under them. But how can I go about bringing up all this when it only puts a spotlight on how families were torn apart by the racism that still exist in these small towns. Families were split up by the color of their skin. If you were dark and had African American features you were separated lived and raised your children as African American. If you were fair and had Caucasian features you were separated and lived and raised your children as white. Now you have adult children of these families that have grown up in different cultures and life experiences that want to know each other and relate to their ancestors and understand the choices that were made was out of necessity of the times they were living in. Yet we still live in division today because of racism from both sides your too white to be black and too black to be white. Expose the whole truth who created the situation in the first place? I think we should look at everyone as being equal and give each person their birthright. It's there in black and white.
I was shocked by what I saw! I would never want to live in a town with so many hateful people. My heart goes out to the families that were effected by all of the injustice of these towns.
It's hard for me to understand what kind of restoration is needed.
Who pays for this injustice? The great grandfathers who committed these horrible crimes against whole families and were never held accountable, these men are dead! Who is held financially responsible for this?
I am a third generation immigrant from Europe and I have felt badly for the things that happened, but my family wasn't involved with anything having to do with slavery or racism. Sometimes it feels that I am required, as a white American, to apologize for the terrors that have taken place years ago.
I believe that forgiving will set free more of the pain from the families that have had this travesty visited upon them any any amount apology from later generations. The fact is, there are hateful people out there, I avoid them I don't ask them to change into decent human beings so that I can forgive them.
Forgiving does not let them off the hook for what they did, it just lets you off the hook from reliving the pain of the past.
Diversity Values Professionalism or Favoritism Racism, African Americans and Other Minorities. Different words same meaning, and the struggle for "Equality and Justice" still live on. The horrible events period that took place centuries ago involving African Americans should never be forgotton and should always stay etched in the minds of not only every African American but every American period. At times we hear some people say, and other times read about in articles, that times have changed and that people are different these days but as we all know that's not true. Even though this is a new time and era some of the same blatant discriminatory things are going on involving not only African Americans but other minorities as well. There are so many obsticles that are challanges for minorities these days period it's unbelievable. Things are not as horrible these days as they were centuries ago for African Americans but still let us not forget that what good happens to and for us these days it's all because of the sacrifices that were made by the courageous, determained and strong will of African American men and woman of this era and others that followed.
When in school in St. Louis, I read in the library of how there was once a Chinatown in St. Louis at the turn of the century, and how it caught fire around 1900.
The Chinese population went from over 1000 to 3 in less than one year. The Chinatown was near the old Union Station and on the same land as the present downtown stadium. I read such treatment of the chinese was not unusual in other cities, but St. Louis had the largest chinatown in the Midwest due to its connection to the railroad.
Although a different ethnicity than the focus of the show, I believe the purging of the St. Louis Chinatown which is documentable does show an institutionalized practice of ethnic purging....which adds credence to the claims made in this program.
What makes anyone think that the community would have been any more willing to help relocate a grave if they had been notified in advance. You could see the stonewalling by most everyone involved. You could also see some community members virtually bristle at the thought that anyone DARE question them and the past of their community. The funeral home owner was completely condescending at times. He came around somewhat but was totally blindsided by not being paid. Guess he knows how the ancestors of the blacks felt when they didn't just lose pay for a job done but their houses and land as well. And he DID eventually get paid unlike the ones banished.
I live in Harrison, Arkansas. When I moved here, I did not realize the KKK still existed and certainly was not aware their headquarters were here. A huge knot formed in my stomach when I was informed that there are approximately 500 active members. In a town of barely over 12,000, that is a significant percentage.
There are yet more of the same mindset who, while they do not put on the white cloak in protest, still voice their negative racial opinions openly. I have searched for a church to attend for some time now . . . the one place where one should find love for all humankind. Instead, for some, they do not find even the cloak of the church necessary. I have been appalled at not only racial comments but comments towards all who some of the long-time church members feel are "lower-class citizens," regardless of race. In one instance, an open discriminatory conversation was held in a Sunday school class and was initiated by the teacher. At yet another church, a one-sided and quite loud verbal expression of racial comments exploded just prior to the beginning of an Easter program in the presence of a full auditorium. While this person was merely one of the audience, she was still heard by many around her, and there was no spark to ignite such a display of fireworks. Even more shocking was the fact that she is one of the area school teachers.
Yes, there are many, many Christians in Harrison who do not condone this type of behavior, but there are many more who live in fear of speaking their mind against such bigotry because of the presence of this "inherited" mentality as well as the overshading cloud of the KKK. After the incident with the Fayetteville coach's complaint, many wonderful pastors in the community took great steps toward building peaceful racial relations. However, that is difficult when there is such a minute percentage of blacks in the area. Unless certain citizens in Harrison examine their own souls, the community as a whole will likely not overcome the negative publicity it has received over the years.
My comments are that all people are related as DNA has proven. There is no "race", except that which those who are consumed with hate wish to continue. A "black" person just has more melanin in their skin that a lighter skinned person, but this cannot be our way of thinking in this or any other country on earth as long as evolution bron hatred is allowed to continue. I will not vote for Senator Barack Obama because of where he stands on major issues and that has nothing to do with his outward appearance. Until other people get this through their heads that they have been duped into a race war by intellectual nincompoops, our way of life here and elsewhere will continue unabated. This brilliant film shows just where we all end up when we allow ourselves to be led down a wrong road. Everyone involved in this film from back into the past were "talked" into a way of thinking and doing that was based on ignorance of the facts. There is no black or white or yellow or brown, just ordinary folks who live and die and try to make the best of it as they pass through this life. Jesus Christ was, based on scientific evidence from that time period, brown skinned like most everyone else who lived in Israel. So do all is lighter skinned brothers and sisters denounce Him because He might be a "colored person"? NOT! Get a life people. People are just that, PEOPLE! I don't care for some of my own neighbors, but it isn't because of skin color or any other labels that this unkind world may attach, it's because they lock themselves up into their own world and refuse to see others for who they really are. THEIR NEIGHBORS! This wonderful film is about forgiving and loving your neighbors, even if they live in another town or city. This film is an excellent example of why this country is broken. Too much me, myself and mine and little or no US. United States, but hardly united by the media that seeks to divide at any cost. What a shame that so many Americans have bought into this "our camp, their camp" thing. A sad commentary on us as a whole. To me, anybody who pulls their weight is worth the extra effort to get to know and love as a friend, otherwise, what's the point of this life?
I don't think this show was very balanced. No one disputes what happened long ago was horrific, but both the descendents of the victims and current unrelated peoples need to be heard. In the end, was especially appalled by the descendent's mistrust of the city officials, evident when he did not disclose his preconceived intent to ask the city to pay for exhumation and removal of the century-old remains. If he cannot trust current residents, what hope can he have to them trusting him? It would have been more appropriate to either ask for this in advance (come to terms with those who are to do the work) or to ask for a marker, monument or other public acknowledgements of the history. Additionally, what of other descendents of other victims? Everyone should get the same "deal".
On one level none of this surprises me. Land and property has been stolen and taken unjustly, and with brute force time and time again through out history. What did surprise me was the unwillingness of the PRESENT day local community to rise to the occasion, to take the higher road, to offer some small token of compassion and understanding, mercy if you will, for what had taken place in the past (by offering to pay the expenses of the excavation of the burial site)
To me it showed the level in which there still needs to be healing, still needs to be a deeper understanding - instead, the Major turned it around and made it a financial concern. He again missed the whole point.
Of course money can't change the events that happenened, but if given WITH SINCERETY FROM THE HEART, as a gesture of regret, compassion and understanding, this SMALL symbolic gesture could speak volumns and help to heal the separation of the races.
One White girl in Deep South
My husband caught this program unfortunately I did not. But, from what I've read and the preview online I am sorry I missed it. I am white but this kind of hate still continues to this day, so sad to think of. Please re-air this program again during Black History Month.
After reading comments on this page. I feel that racism is a two way street.How can we ever move forward if we continue to live in the past.To hold future generations accountable is to further the racism.Horrible things have occurd to people all thru history,especialy native Americans.But to truely move forward we must quit calling ourselves black and white and come together as what we truely are Americans
Thank you to all that appeared, spoke and cried last night. I cried too..but not because I am black but because I am White.....to say that I was embarassed by what was said last night doesn't even come close to how I feel. My heart goes out to all those families who lost so much.....you couldn't even pay me to visit one of those white supremist towns. The present bigotry was unbelievable, and I never ever thought I would ever feel so embarassed to call myself a member of the white race.
Why is the NAACP not involved? I was fired from my job in the Hospital in Scottsdale, Az.for no reason. Even my Unemployed insurance was approved. But there is no one I can turn to for justice. The Rev. Tilman denies there is no "Right to work state". What can you do.
Unbelievable, a very interesting and startling commentary, exceeded only by the attitudes and continuing racism exhibited in these communities today and the postings in this forum. If anyone thinks leaving this untouched will make racism go away, right there is all the more reason to expose these crimes. Would anyone with such an attitude feel any different if they were driven from their homes by murder and violence to have someone else move in and take over? Would they just forget about it? I think not and this injustice should be exposed and compensation extracted from the individuals and communities that allowed this to happen, and furthermore, allow it to continue even today. Astounding that these racists will voice these attitudes on film. Frightening and shameful!
Great journalism ! Thanks to IL for making this available.
All the talk about furthering the racial divide is absolute hogwash. Federally-imposed bond issues should be forced on any municipal entity which allowed the re-sale of illegally acquired properties. Period. This is why "States rights" need to be looked at since they provide refuge for ignorance, intolerance and ultimately for dishonest people to have their way.
In Weir,Kansas(in the Southeast corner of Kansas, Cherokee county) A whole African-American cemetary has disappeared. There once was headstones and markers. This cemetary has been plowed over by farmers of the land. Not long ago there was mention of locating the exact spot,but nothing mentioned since. The farmer says it was never there but there was a lady who had ancestors buried there. Today there is no sign of it. It needs to be addressed now and researched and the graves located. I believe it just needs to be researched.
I found the show enlighting, if not suprising. I was wondering why compensation was considered for the black folks, but no mention was made of compensation for the native americans that the land belonged to before the whites or blacks got there.
"Banished" of INDEPENDENT LENS on Channel 12 WGTE Tuesday night February 19, 2008 was the story of an ugly fight over land. The film was the story of Forsythe County, Georgia. I don't know where the Blacks should turn to for justice over the land that was "stolen" from them; but what can be done? The African Americans need a bettor third party to find justice. Time might heal this injustice. The African Americans should teach the world this lesson of lost land to the world and that this injustice could happen to anyone.
If you go back further a case could have been make a case that this land was stole from the American Indians. America is not perfect, but our history has fewer blemishes than any other major power in the history of man. Injustices to African Americans have been recognized by our Federal Government and laws and regulations such as the EEOC have been enacted to right past wrongs. To go back to these towns and try to lay a guilt trip on the current inhabitants seems in poor taste to me. Many of these people may not even have ancestors in these towns when the African Americans were banished. Even if you had an ancestor who was involved it is not morally proper to hold a great grand child responsible for what the ancestor did. If you go generations back in any family you can find injustices done against your ancestors. I do not think it is healthy to dell on these injustices. It is much better to concentrate on making yourself a better person. If a person has good morals, works hard, educates himself, and saves his money, he will be successful in America.
Last night my daughter and I watched this documentary and it saddend me to watch my child cry to know what has happened to her ancestors and no one has or will ever do anything to make it right. You see I am white and my daughter is mixed (black and white). I try so hard to teach my child both cultures so that she understands where she came from. It breaks my heart to know that I have to teach my child that her African American Ancestors were mistreated and beaten and ran out of cities to lose what little they did own and to have these things done by her other ancestors. I feel that they should have their rights honored and their belongings given back to them.Everything that is left. You have so many people now a days who try to say that America has came along way and that racism isn't as bad as it used to be. Well I am here to tell you that that is not true. My child was beaten up on her bus last year by 3 white 3rd graders who's parents teach them racism. My daughter was in KINDERGARTEN. There is still racism in this world and by higher government officials too. If there wasn't, then they would have no problems giving back what is rightfully theirs. The white people who have it now have it illegally. They may not have done it themselves but they continue to live the lie and that makes it just as bad as the white people who stole it originally.
"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
~Robert F. Kennedy
"The time is always right to do what is right."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Getting back the land for African-Americans really as I see it already is addressed by the law.
As I understand the law if you are in possession of stolen property you can't keep that property even if you bought it from someone else. Now unless they can prove the original owner of that property sold it then the property is stolen!
I have just finished seeing "Banished" and if the town council truly believes that it is the KKK that is responsible for giving Harrison a bad reputation then why doesn't the town kick their asses out? Make it uncomfortable for the KKK to reside their--just like what happened to the African-Americans in the early 20th century--then the KKK will be forced to take their s*** elsewhere, North Korea might be a good place.
As I was watching the Independent Lens show, Banished, I was in complete sympathy with the people who were banished. But then someone on the show made a comment about how their people could have been living there all these years. I then realized they shouldn't be entitled to any reparations before the Native Americans who would have lived there 100 or 200 years earlier. They were the real victims of banishment. Why do Americans always ignore the genocide that was committed against the Native Americans. I now feel this show was very shallow and imcomplete by not going back a little further in time to mention the Native Americans. If reparations are paid to African Americans, they should have to pay reparations to the Native Americans.
By the way, I am a white liberal guy who voted for Obama in the Washington State Caucus.
The land reparation case noted in the NY Times article at the following link should be of interest. The African Americans had legally established claims to their land and they should be paid for it at today's value. The land was stolen from them, plain and simple. Attorney Phil Bettis is ridiculous when he claims they could have gone to court to secure their land. Yeah, right, and get lynched?! Best wishes and GO FOR IT!
HOW IN THE HELL, THESE PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH THEMSELVES TODAY. MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY. THE TOWN SHOULD GIVE THE FAMILY THEIR LAND. THIS IS RACIAL, IT STILL GOING ON TODAY, BUT ITS AN GOD UP THERE AN WORD TO FAMILY. IT;S ALRIGHT,TRY TO GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE. TRY COMING TO FLORIDA WITH THAT. NOW YOU SEE MIXED COUPLES. COME ON PEOPLE GIVE US BLACKS AN CHANCE WE NOT ALL BAD. THESE PEOPLE WASN;T TREATED FAIR, AND STILL NOT TREATED FAIR. PAY THEM.
Obviously, the persepective of African Americans regarding reparations is inconsistent with that of whites, even those whites who sympathize with their hardships & hurts. Society as a whole, from whom they ask compensation, is not all white nor is it people of privilege. The suggestion by Richard Fishenden that blacks be given free college equal to the years they were denied it assumes that present day black youth are individually denied advancement. Or even that they are denied education as a group. They aren't; their ancesters were. So were mine. He ignores that fact that Catholics and the Irish were widely held in contempt at that time as uneducable. That was the reason for opening Catholic colleges, to help ourselves. Moreover, education wasn't commonplace until the last 25 yrs. Ask any first generation immigrant whether they are denied educational opportunities here and they will emphatically answer "no". You'll find them in classroom seats in city and state colleges across America, making their own opportunities. Neither they nor Caucasions in general have been handed a college or vocational education. Many, like me, worked their way through school, holding three jobs at a time to make ends meet.
Though the film maker's portrayal of present-day bigotry and insensitivity was eye-opening, I think that sympathy for the cause of blacks is lost when reparations are requested. The one gentleman requested the town to pay for the disinternment of his grandfather,for example, after he garnered cooperation on the premise that he would pay for it. This seemed dishonest and unnecessary, causing confusion and ill-feelings on the part of the townspeople. The grandson's statements, such as "I will pay depending on how things fall out" were just totally inconsistent with his taking the high road. He repeatedly wanted some act of generosity by the town but kept asking in ways that ensured he wouldn't get any sympathy. Again, the current town people generally wouldn't be held accountable for their forefather's actions. The viewer only felt differently because they were so obviously racist.
The notations at the end of various reparations for groups such as the interned Japanese Americans seemed to imply that everyone has gotten reparations except blacks. The film maker wanted us to conclude it was due to racism. The issue is just not that simple.
What ever Happened to forty acres and a mule? If we were compensated like we we were told we would be then it would have given us somewhere to start from. Instead we had to start from nothing. Alot of white decendants had somewhere to start from being that salve masters made a profit off of slave and so the market boomed off our sweat and tears. So that was the first promise that was never kept if we would have recieved compensation then we never would be asking for it now
i really think that is a shame what happened to your family in pierce city 1901 but it dont surprise me racism is still in the air and thats all over the world and as you know that doesnt make it right i was watching the program and could notbelieve my earswhen one the white women blurted out niggar it goes to tell you they still feel that way and the guy who was digging up the grave it was all about money but you know what we are stroooong people they cant take that from us and we are forgiving people its in our nature so continue to pray for them because they need alot of it
It appears to me that the people in charge of running Strickland, GA are just "fine" with their image and intend to keep it's history buried. But they do so at the expense of those African-Americans who acquired their local land legally, and then were run out of town during the backlash of White supremacists in the early 20th century who felt that black people were still an inferior race and therefore had no rights to live there. It never ceases to amaze me how the gun motivates someone to do everything possible to escape with their very lives in the middle of the darkest night, never to even think of returning to an area that was once called Home. Of course those people never brought this up to their future sons and daughters of what they went through in Strickland! They were too scared and traumatized to have to relive it! History is full of these kinds of horrifying acts, and those of us who've never gone through any of that in today's America can't even begin to imagine what it was like to have the roof over your head literally removed from you in a hail of gunfire bursting all around you. Ask the Strickland, Georgia city officials if THEY have ever had such an experience! Well, of course not! They have the past to thank for their otherwise comfortable lives of today - a life built on the humiliation of a race of people just beginning to come into their own after fighting years for equal rights post Civil War.
I'm a Southerner, white, and I live next door in South Carolina. I taught public school for 30 years recently and most of my school assignments were in predominantly black communities. Up until I started teaching, I was pretty limited in what I knew about my fellow black citizens. But thank God I was first sent into an area of South Carolina where I would HAVE to become familiar with our other race and then turn around and daily prove to myself and to my students that I was on THEIR side, the side of EDUCATION! Many times throughout my career I have told parents and natives here that those were the BEST years of my teaching experience. I know my students respected me because I first respected THEM. I'm not likely to forget what those students did for me as a person who truly saw the value of their lives, as poor as many of them were, but oh so PROUD of who they were because of the lessons they learned in my classroom.
So the city officials of Strickland do not feel it would be "advantageous" to put up some kind of plaque honoring those black individuals who owned homes on the very park site that today's white families and children play in? This is simply outrageous. Think of the honor they would bring to their community for having the courage to do this. Think of all the descendents of those black individuals who barely escaped with their lives who could now look UP to the town of Strickland instead of down. For better or worse, Strickland you ARE American history, and the legacy you leave for future generations depends on how noble the citizens of your community fight for justice gone wrong in the past.
Step up to the bat, and DO THE RIGHT THING!
Thom Wood, Greenville SC
I truely think that it's sad that me a 26 year old black woman look at this kind of film and it still brings tears to my eyes. Yes we as black people will probably never heal from the turmoil our ancestors have gone through and some of the things we as black people still have to go through. But what but being compensated for the wrong our ancestors encounterd why not? They didnt die in vain they didnt try to accomplish everything that they had accomplished for nothing. I often question my self saying what's wrong with the world? Is it this much evil in the world? America was made rich and was built off the sweat, blood, tears, the backs of African Americans. We deserve some recognition and respect and we deserve to be compensated for our ancestors hard work and grief. The ignorance of the country pushed black people back we took a blow we never really recovered from.
i had hoped that by 2008, race would no longer be an issue either. it's hard on everyone..i'm multi-racial, but i don't fit in anywhere; do i get to acknowledge my sorrow over what happened to my african ancestors? do i get to be a part of the reparations even though i'm not 100% african american, or do i beat myself up because i'm part white? i'm proud of both sides and wouldn't trade either side, because they are part of who i am. there were instances where love transcended race, even back then, what about those cases? i too, think education is key, but people have to want to take advantage of it as well. i think how we teach our children is a big key too.
Excellent!! I think that if the tables had been turned that many if not undoubtly all of the whites who would have found themselves without the land that there grandparents and great parents had owned would have taken the issue to the highest courts of the land. They would fight with everything they have in order to reclaim what they thought was rightfully theres. I think it speaks volumes to where we are today. I applaud the producer for making this documentry on what is effectively American History. Albeit widely ignored,and looked over, this is the history that must be told and shown. Job well done!
I am all for a grass roots movement to get the American public to give what they can to reparations cause. I am a man of modest means and because of that I usually do not give to causes. This one I definately would contribute to and I believe that millions of other people across the world would also.
Thank you so much for the enlightenment. This country is not the saint it portrays! So much for Christian ethic. I am sure some of those people held a Bible in their hand (or at least had gone to Church that Sunday)as they were doing these unspeakable acts. What happened to do unto others as you would have them do to you????
I think the ancestors should be compensated for their losses. The government was quick to conpensate the Japanese-Americans and the survivors of the Holocaust and the American Indians - How about the Blacks who did all the work and prepared this country for its greatness, never mind the loss of ancestral ground - loss of roots!! AGAIN! I love PBS and all the information that can be gleaned from its shows! Thank you again.
I have checked our state and written down the counties and what happened here in TN. I will NOT move to those counties!
Genesis 6:5 reads...
And GOD saw that the wickness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
I use this quote from the Bible to validate the point that mankind is not capable of being just and righteous on his own. There are so many stories of people being violated of body, soul, spirit and posessions that we could document them until the end of time and there would still be untold episodes.
This documentary of how African-Americans were literally run out of certain towns throughout this country and how some of those communities want to deny the past is not anything new and only helps to reinforce how people make judgments about those cultures who dominate the power structure. Now I am not saying that all White people are racists and simple-minded, but when cases of malicious injustice, depravation of liberty, rights and freedom are displayed for the world to see, how can they just brush it aside? Then have the audacity to stand up and tell the world we are the moral authority for anything?
After many years of watching shows, newsreels, movies and specials that spotlight how African-Americans, Native-Americans, Japanese-Americans and others have been treated, I have come to the conclusion that some people in White America want to acknowledge that wrongs were inflicted upon their fellow brothers and sisters, but the overwhelming sentiment is that lets ignore it and maybe it will go away!
I seriously believe that there is no such thing as guilt in these people, because guilt on this level would produce an understanding that healing needs to happen for past sins. The only thing we see is constant "DENIAL" because that does not own up to anything but says something may have happened. I know in my heart that the only time people will acknowledge what happened is when we all stand before GOD on the day of judgement.
It truly is sad that we in AMERICA are supposed to stand for Life, Liberty and the Persuit of Happiness, but to many of its citizens, these words are nothing more babbling noises that are "HOLLOW" and are meaningless.
I would encourage anyone who disagrees with this position to reply and state your case.
Respectfully,
To All Families Affected By This, Remember that "Abandonment" is a willful and deliberate act, and is only socially "acceptable" (legally) if it is done as a voluntary act with a "free" mind! I really doubt that any one of these familes, given the nature of the times, could have left their land unless there was a fear of harm to them or their families.
Mr. Williams and his fellow journalist should be awarded for their hard work, and I pray that there are positive outcomes for the families, maybe they can claim back the freedoms that their families lost, if not the same land areas, perhaps the same acres in a different place or payment of the fair market value at todays rate, and an apology from those people that allowed this activity without their intervention.
The taking of land owned by African Americans is still happening today! In rural areas where African Americans have owned land for more than 100 years, property boundary lines are moved by neighboring white families and land is claimed as theirs. While African American families have records that prove that land has been in their families and taxes were paid on the land, they are being asked to prove ownership and are paying attorneys fees to prove ownership. This process can be kept in court for many years amd eventually African American families cannot afford to keep a lawyer on a retainer and the land becomes the property of white families who may have more financial resources to pay attorneys fees.
So nothing really has changed. The means maybe, the end is the same. African American families lose property that has been in families for more than 100 years. I, too, cried throughout the film.
The information at the end of the film tells the story. Reparations for everyone but us. Acknowledgement of the wrong that has been done to everyone else, but not to us.
How do you place a value on your sense of heritage, sense of community, or culture lost? How do you make reparations for something of such value as to be priceless. The talk of money debases what actually occurred and should be removed from the equation in discussing this film. How does the general population in the United States actually "own" any property, I belive this land was already inhabited when the first Europeans arrived. This film should move people to become involved - not because of race but because we are all humans and should try to make sure our descendants don't have to look back in shame at our actions or lack of action. We owe the coming generations at least that much.
I think that there was a secondary Holocaust between blacks and whites.I've study the past and the present and i really don't see a huge difference in some civilized communities and around the rational races(culture) world. I've herd people say that racism has seized to its death and slavery has perished.Are they right? NO! They are as wrong as they can be.Racism will seized when Armagadon (God's Coming) occurs.Racism will not die until the opposed race has perished.Like the Jews and Germans. The Germans had a plan to destroy the race of Jews and they almost vanished the Jewish race. The war will never end until one race has left Earth. Im only 13 and i will speak for my color and stand for what's mine. I dream that may grow to be of Martin Luther King's caliber. My grandfarther and grandmother told me to never be pushed to the ground and not get up and never disgrace my race.
Several points. First, the blacks in the episode bemoan the fact that their ancestors were wronged is valid. They point to how nice the properties are now. Well, who is to say that the area would be in the same shape if their ancestors had kept their property? It might still be a rural agrarian community worth a fraction of what it is now. So if any reparations are to be paid it should be based on values of 100 years ago. And along those lines, werent the blacks paid for their property? What did their families do with the money they were paid? If they invested in land elsewhere what is the problem? That investment should have stayed in their families and still be theirs(assuming proper stewardship of course). Hmmmmm....
Second, to me what further proves nonsense to any idea of reparations is that why not do the same for good deeds as well? Perhaps I should get tax write offs for charitable deeds my ancestors did that were not allowed to be written off of their income taxes at the time. Why not? Am I not entitled just like the blacks who have been wronged are? Because that's what this is really about isnt it? 'Getting mine?'
Imagine what my families wealth would be like if that money that my ancestors would have saved by not having to pay it to uncle sam from 1913 on would be worth with proper investment today. Phew...if only they had the deductions we can claim today. So if the idea of reparations is to be examined, lets look at the reverse side of the coin and do it for charitable deeds as well. My family took in many homeless and jobless in the depression era, fed them and gave them a place to stay. Gave to non profits. Had home offices. I want credit for that...you know what they werent able to claim as a write off because the government screwed them by not having all the deductions that they have for us now. Yeah. My family has been worked over and I want what is rightfully mine. Nonsense? Exactly. Just like the perceived entitlement blacks have today.
Anne Robertson is probably living on land her grandparents may have stolen from a black family. Any one with common sense knows thief of property is wrong and justice denied is justice denied.
Thank you for this informative, emotional film. Emotional for me because my Grandfather was born in Pierce City and migrated to California when he was a young man. I plan to research any and all dates I can obtain from family members to find out if the "banishment" was the reason he left his home in Pierce City, Missouri. I can find out when he left, and Independent Lens has given me a clue as to the reason he may have left.
Perhaps to some Democracy means total freedom including freedom from the responsibility for the actions of others. I wonder where this comes from.
When a policeman brings a child to a home to confront parents with a failure in their responsibility, we all think that is right and proper but if the American Indian, the descendents of African slaves or the people living in the land taken from Mexico in 1835, or thereabouts, bring the issue of compensation, everyone can say, "I took nothing from you! Get off my home!"
The only hope is that growing in the meaning of the nature of our Humanity, these responsibilities will be seen as inherent and extending without limit. You see, we are all part of the Human Race and none is free unti all are free.
What about the native Americans it was there land first,before any white or black people.There have been slaves all through history.Why do the black people think America should pay them back?We should all be paying the native American indians.
lyndon johnson, for all of his faults, truly felt that the solution, was to give black peolple the vote. Then to aid, poor people, of any color, with money. That was the so called welfare program. Aid to dependent children. Lyndon tried to put money into the problem, and if he had lived longer, along with a kennedy or two, might have found a solution.
Education was then offered, through pell grants, affirmative action, and such. All of this was offered through technical schools, in the 70's, and a generation of corrective action, led to rap music. true, the industrial society, of this country was exploited, and destroyed, and opportunities, were then limited by the end of wage earners in the country.
the window of that generation was missed, but to undue, the abuses of not only a nation, but a race, as important as was, couldn't accomplish what it wanted, in a bare 20 years.
As Sandra Day O'Conner, said, in her defense of Affirmative action, it should continue. Yet, without, skilled jobs, supported by the unions, the whole thing collapsed, as American prosperity for the middle class collapsed, and unions folded in the 80's.
It was not only the black people, who suffered under these policies, there were many white people, who did also. The black people in this country, are too focused on themselves, and need to remember, there are poor white people in this country also. This dirty piece of meat, called america, is ruled from the top, and cares little for the working class, no matter what the color.
Let's go back, 100 years, or more. Does anyone, who wants reparations, for black people, think their race, is more deserving, of reparations, than anyone else, of any color, who has endured, the economic injustice of this country?
Let's not forget, if you will, the Union leaders who were lynched. It is a common problem.
Let's not forget, the hangings of union leaders, of so-called social riots, and the wear and tear, on the organized labor movement.
To think, a rapper, should bring about, a change, is more than dumb.
They seem to want to express a power structure, but under, artistic terms.
George Bush, is the worst gangster who ever lived. His raps, don't even rhyme.
It is a common problem, within any race, the hired guns, of the South.
I have recently met a man, who tried to tell me, that the South, in the antebellum period, wasn't so bad.
I had to remind him, as a white man, that, selling people, breaking up families, is not a good thing.
there is no amount of money, that can fix that, but - if it can be found, specific properties should be restored, i would certainly agree.
What is lost as a result of banishment African Americans from these towns, I will tell you, again, our history! Who pays, our children who think we never had anything after the Civil War, and don't undertand why the old folks won't talk about where they came from! We have white folks with a false sense of their own history and ownership of things! "Hornet's nest" indeed! You only heal if you know the illness, Ms.Robertson! White folks have been o afraid of having to pay for all the wrong they have done to people of other races, that they hide the truth even from themselves and tell themselves that it's not important to give the citizens of their own country what they would give anyone else in the world that was wronged! It's too bad that the people that need to understand and learn from this will probably not!
There is no reason for reparations for blacks that live today. If anyone should have had reparations, it should have been the actual persons who lost everything. That entire question is a slippery slope. I am part Cherokee Indian. If blacks were to be compensated for their losses, the Native Americans would also be owed reparations...after all, they lost the entire country to the whites. And talk about treatment, the Native American was not even considered human and the trail of tears and dozens of other atrocities occurred to them.
I do not expect reparations and if anyone should have received them, it would have been my great, great grandmother who suffered terribly.
This is a wonderful piece of work you've done Marc. The telling of these stories should not end until the healing is complete. What many of us fail to realize is there are many more places in the country where this type of activity went on. Even more than appear on the interactive map. Another thing many fail to realize is the suffering is universal. Some whites suffered as well There was a case in Florida where African Americans were forced out and a young white boy became disillusioned and ran away from home because of the injustices he saw. For the next 50+ years, he lived with the guilt and the shame of what he saw done to innocent people on that horrible day in Florida. And, in fact, it took a great deal of coercing to get him to testify in court to the atrocities he witnessed because the wound was so deep.
Regardless of ethnicity, when one sees themselves as separate from the rest of the universe, it leads to disparity for all.
I applaud the efforts of the film maker to create such a historical piece: American, true and raw emotions.
After researching my genealogy [heavily cherokee, african and english], I see the COMPETITION for land, jobs and food between caucasians and formerly enslaved africans was fierce after the Civil War. Many were hungry and poor
in the south. Awful.
The mental jump for the caucasians was from owning the 'enslaved' to competing with them for jobs, food and land. The mental jump for the formerly enslaved was to learn what freedom meant, learning how to read and write (in many cases) and how to take care of themselves without an 'overseer'. Difficult for both.
Living in such a country as the US with so many opportunities, after having come through the 1960's with Dr. King, and now being the year 2008, do we really need reparations? Land was stolen, yes! Look at Palm Beach Island in Florida, one of the richest pieces of real estate in the US. Mr Flagler stole that land from the black people who were living there by throwing a party for them off of the island. Then he burned their homes while they were away. Do you really think that that land will be returned? Nope. Yet a very wealthy black attoney lives there now!
The story NEEDS to be told, but it is my opinion that EDUCATION is far more valuable than reparations. It helps the person to grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It cannot be taken away as a piece of land [through taxes] or money [lack of info] can. Then the person will be empowered through a higher self-esteem, get the education, become an attorney, etc and get whatever they want and more. Gee, a black woman is 2 (two!) people from being the President.
But just giving a person money/land without helping them use it to their best advantage is short sighted to me. Note; the number of college/univ scholarships that go UNUSED, but rap/hip hop is big. Yet 'rapping' is a talent.
Why don't the rappers GET TOGETHER and form a SCHOLARSHIP POOL for the kids to go to college/univ/trade school? We have forgotten how to give back to the community to build back what was broken. Then the elderly will have what they need: a community which cares for them. Money is a patch for a little while, then when it is gone, what then? More reparations? No, EDUCATE the people, young and old and they can think for themselves . .
As far as one other post explained it. Why not pool our available resources and do something ourselves? We really need to stop looking at the Gov to repay us. Explain. madame CJ walker, Mary Fitzbutler Waring, MD [1886 univ. of michigan!], black supreme court judges in S carolina in 1880's, etc. We need to look forward, not backwards. TOO many opportunities ahead. Yes, structural racism exists, but Uhmmmm you can open your own business!!!!!!!!!! Don't let the past hatred, ruin the future progress...
If my great grandfather had land taken from him ,who's to say how much that land would be worth today.
This is how wealth can be distributed and stay in a family for over 100 yrs thru business etc...
Why should african americans be denied of those rights ?
Amen and Thank you, Mr. Fishenden. I don't know why Ms. robertston can't see the common sense in all of this. I have always said that blacks should be getting free education, and not have to pay taxes, and yes those families who have records that show that land was either taken away or forced from them, should have it returned to them. maybe if you had more whites that had to give up what they truly never owned in the first place, things would be a hell of a lot different, but that would probably mean more than 1/2 of america. boy what would the kkk and the "tolerant" whites do then. This country is a joke, it was built on lies, theft and of course murder and that still goes on today. Ms. Robertson should read "the Color of Wealth" and see why blacks are where they are still to this day, not because of choice, but because of a system that is predicated on continuing to dehumanize and unfairly treat blacks the way they want. .
I am so heated when a white person tries to tell black people that money or compensation is not the answer. For this matter, yes it is. For one, the US Constitution was written to protect the right of private property. The gov't cannot take private property away (for public use) unless the owner is justly compensated. That is in the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution: "nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
These black families should all bring either individual suits or a class action lawsuit against their local gov't in violation of their due process and the illegal possession of their property. The descendants have standing on this just those of Rosewood, Florida which went through a similar banishment and massacre of its black residents and property owners. Rosewood victims vs. the State of Florida.
The gov't of florida did opposite of what the 5th Amendment of US Constitution says, they did not protect its citizens, nor their property or due process of the law.
Not only would I like to see the descendents of this 'Banishment' program receive just compensation for the loss of ancestor property but I would also like to see a better compensation package for the survivors and descendants of the "black Wall Street" or the Tulsa Race Riots in which many well-to-do blacks were killed and/or forced from their property.
White people are always talking about property rights, the protection of these rights and just compensation for the taking of these rights. Why can't these blacks victims be treated just as any other white person that loss property to an adversed situation.
Racism should not exist at all in this day and age! I lived in Georgia for a few years when I was a teen, but I was born and mostly raised in western Canada. Even back then (30 years ago) I was shocked at the hostility and segregation against Black people in north Georgia. I was too naive to realize that racism was rampant right in my Canadian backyard. Up here it was against our Aboriginal peoples, who are now slowly but surely receiving support and compensation for their suffering and losses (although we have a long way to go). Nowadays our racism is mostly directed toward Eastern Indian immigrants, or Asians, even tourists. It's shameful - Canada is supposed to be "multicultural" by nature, and we cant even get along with our very own French population! Here, people of African descent are usually treated equal but not always. What bothers me is the ongoing racist remarks that are muttered quietly but just loud enough to make an imprint on the minds of our young people. It's so wrong, and I admit I am guilty of leaning the other way - in an effort to express support to people of colour, I sometimes treat them "differently" which is opposite to my intention to accept and welcome them as they are. I was raised to respect and honour all kinds of people, my parents were great this way. So this whole issue baffles and confuses me - why cant we celebrate each other's differences instead of being threatened by them?! I hate the fact that the KKK still exists - it should have disbanded by now. I am in total support of African Americans receiving compensation for their suffering and losses. I am happy to pay taxes toward a worthy end (like our First Nations compensation). I'd much rather pay for this than for hundreds of other stupid government spending efforts. God bless Marco Williams, and all of you who are fighting for true freedom - you are beautiful and valuable and loved. sincere thoughts, Linda
Why is it that the subject of reparations is such a difficult one when it involves African-Americans? The bottom historical line is that throughout the African diaspora black people had been uprooted, displaced and disadavantaged. Period. For over four hundred years we were systematically enslaved and deprived of rights only white people were allowed to enjoy. We were banned from education. Possible Solution: every black person with a surname that is not originally their own (providing they desire so) should be allowed a free college education for at least the same amount of years equal to the years we were denied that education. Black people slaved for free. Possible Solution: Since this condition was duly supported by the US government, again every black person with a surname not originally their own, these families should be excempt from paying federal taxes equal to the number of years our people were enslaved. So forth and so on. In my opinion the issue of reparation is only difficult because America wants it to be. The issue may cause controversy, but so what. Slavery was controversial and in spite of it lasted over three centuries. What people tend to conviently forget in regards to slavery is that black people were not just chattel property, but in the process systematically dehumanized: our nation building, positive contributions to history were hidden and/or destroyed, our names forsaken and replaced by our white so-called owners, our religions basnished, our cultures annihilated, families ripped apart at will for profit, not to mention that the very color of our skin was made a curse worse than leprosy. Therfore and in somewhat conclusion anything in terms of reparation that we DEMAND should not be argued! For if this chunk of history had taken place against white people (providing they survived as well as we did) they not only would have demanded more than we, but would to this very day probably fight to overtake the country that had abused them.
Anne Roberts that is a moronic argument! It is not a 'divisive log', the division is there and you and people like you are the cause of it.
There can be no 'healing' without justice and there can be no justice without fair compensation for the long-term economic disparity caused by the THEFT of land.
Kudos to Marco Williams for an extraordinary piece of film making and journalism. I allowed my 12 year old son to watch it even though it was later than his bedtime and on a school night and I am so glad I did. We learned about a piece of this country's history that we didn't know about although sadly, it was not surprising. The history of African Americans in this country is full of incidents of white racism and injustice. But it is also full of incidents of grace and forgiveness. There is ample evidence of both in this film even though full reparation for the stolen land has not been achieved. It was extraordinary how Marco Williams gained the trust of the avowed racists in the film so they could feel comfortable enough to express themselves fully to his face! Like Marco writes in his comments, I felt sad but unlike him, I also felt very angry at their ignorance, arrogance and meanness. The film made me want to know more about the history of the families shown and I also wonder about the current state of affairs in the towns depicted. Perhaps Marco would consider doing a follow-up film.
M. Gonzalez
There was a long, difficult struggle for economic justice to come for Japanese-Americans who lost property during World War II, but reparations were made. There is little difference between what was done by government officials in the 1940's and the usurping of land titles by means of land courts. What these families are due, they are due, no question about it. Correcting the injustices will be expensive and difficult, but those who have benefitted from the toil of others for 100 years have had the use of property not their own. It's time to pay.
I just watched BANISHED and want to express how deeply this film impressed upon me the great need for reparation to the descendants of African Americans who were so brutally robbed of everything they worked so hard to attain.
As a white woman, I am shamed by the selfish attitude of those who benefited from the overwhelming loss African Americans have suffered. It is time to give back what we can, though it is impossible to ever repay what they have lost.
The devastating loss these people have suffered MUST be acknowledged in a meaningful manner.. meaningful to THEM..
Their inheritance was stolen, the choice was taken from them as to stay or to sell, much like the Jews and Japanese who were forced away from their property and belongings and I see that they get reparations and an accurate telling of their story. But for us it is making African Americans illegitimate in some way to not pay what is owed to them. As Malcolm X said "The chickens have come home to roost" time for payback, pay up and fess up. Thank you for this documentary and for all those who are presenting and researching the truth and not buying into the lies!
My name is Andrea Lester and I am writing in reference to the film “Banished”. For years my father, who is originally from Gainesville, GA., and I been trying to trace ANY family that we have left on his mother’s side of the family who happens to be a descendant of the Strickland family and to my surprise this family, possibly our family, played an intricate part of the story that has been investigated. It is our desire to find out if in fact they are the same Stricklands that we are related to.
It saddens me to think that after all that we as a people have accomplished in this country, we still are speaking about race and the cruelty done to our people. I say this because just like gentrification is still going on in the major cities where Blacks reside, racial cleansing took place over three hundred years ago. The complacent Blacks were lulled into loving their slave masters and did not unite with the rebellious ex-slaves. Had this happened we would not be talking about reparations. I hate to sound violent, but nothing is accomplished without bloodshed. Because we as a whole to not hurt anyone (except ourselves and our kin folks) people of all races (if there is such a word) creed and cultures, have benefited from the work of our hands. We sold each other out here and abroad, and we keep on selling each other out. I know that if I were alive during slavery times, I would be hanging with people like Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman (she and I are born the same day supposedly March 16). I feel that nothing comes from sitting at the table with the enemy. If you want something in this world you have to take it. But we as a whole are a forgiving, peaceful people, and always looking for the WHITE MAN or the SAVIOR to come and help us. There has been a lost of unity since all these so called civil rights leaders got a chance to sit at the "lunch counter". Look at this country now. Because of the work of poor and disenfranchised individuals fighting for the right to vote and the right to just be human, the right to be women and the right to be sexually free, there are no limitations that exist today. We have a man who just happens to be of African heritage. We have a woman running as president. You had an Italian running for president and one years ago this would not even been the case. Yes we have made some strides and have gained a whole lot in terms of education, materialism, but there still is a long way to go. We do not have wealth. I mean inherited wealth, land stretching out so far and wide...this is what reparations would bring. Wealth in the land. Look at the institutions that have been around for two and three hundred years. How did they survive the turmoils of war, the depression, disease? They survived on the backs of the Black and Brown of this country. And with all of the education that has been received by politicians, medical and professional individuals, you still see in the midst of such splendor a majority of ignorant individuals. Look at the amount of cash that today's entertainers and sports figures receive. It is sickening to see what has happened to the music industry. Look at the ignorant spending power. The wastefulness. The lack of investing in the communities from which they come from. Reparations could be received from rappers alone. But do they invest in their community? No. The majority of these entertainers and sports figures spend most of their quality time doing drugs, bragging and hanging out in clubs. They spend exorbitant amounts of money on foolishness. They spend on butter instead of bricks. Yes, we have accomplished a lot as a people, the chattel slave system has ended, but the invisible chains exist in the minds of many people still. A rude awakening is needed to fix the perils of racism. Either people are going to have to be banished from the earth, and a few start over again, or a disease will wipe people out and life on other planets may be the next best choice. I hope I get the opportunity to see reparations take place in this country, being that I have grandparents that are both African and Native American. Time will tell.
I wish that European Americans stop saying "WHO SHOULD WE PAY? HELLO! the people who are the desecendants to the people you enslaved. And every country that owned a slave or slaves should pay, and you know who you are. America was build on the blood sweat and tear of black people. Ever nation that was wronged by White America has been given some satisfaction. Because if all these countries would fess up and pay what the owe, white people wouldn't be looking down their nose at black so much. They would realize the same God that made white made black and if blacks wronged or enslaved white america they would find away to get reparation.If you can found away to get to the moon in one peice and return back to earth. If you really wanted to repay blacks for the wrong done to our ancestor. You would, but you just don't give a dam. But you will pay now or in the day of judgment you will stand accountable. And that is my take on the hold thing.
It not right for none of our elected officials see the important of supporting or assisting a campaign to correct the wrong done by adverse possession. Our family had prime land and it was stolen from us. The family cemetery is treated no more than a manure patch. It embarrasses me to think that our family helped to build this country and be treated in this manor.
How can a mob be accepted as law?
How can a lynching be accepted as justice? How can stealing one's land be accepted as a legal transaction. Shame on all the people who see Banished and do not feel outraged. Shame on all the people who see Banished and are not any Every time I see Banished a tear comes to my eyes.
What if this were your family? What would you do?
Now what?
This same story has been told and retold a thousand times, a different title, in a different city BUT the same outcome: whites stole from blacks and EVERYONE knows and NOBODY will do anything to correct the wrong.
If I am found in procession of a stolen good, rather I stole it or purchased it or it was given to me as a gift. In the court of law the item is stolen and will need to be returned...
Unless there's a different court of law, the land needs to be returned...but of course just like the Native American fight in upstate NY -it won't.
We didn't LOSE anything - everything we were was taken.. wholesale - stolen and raped from us. "Losing" a (some)thing generally involves/requires some action, whether passive or aggressive, on the part of those/he/she who've lost "it".
America will NEVER, in my opinion, be able to repair the damage that remains to this day; one cannot go back(ward). I believe America should repair "forward", and begin repairing the damage it so egregiously arrogantly and hatefully stole from an entire race with numerous cultures of black people. Try this: START WITH NEW ORLEANS, LA. One little forgotten, ravaged AMERICAN state. HOW 'BOUT THAT FOR REPAIR(ation)S!?
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!
Thank you.
~R~
The families lost their land, dignity, respect, all of their personal belongings---basically they lost their lives.
It's about time countries like America truly acknowledge the African American experience of slavery, banishments, etc. through reparations and by seizing to continuously minimize these experience, as we helped build this country but don't have much to prove for it.
I have always heard about Forsyth ga. I moved to and live in commerce ga 12 years ago. I heard that you did not want to get caught dead in Forsyth. now I know where the statement came from. this documentary Banished "should" help, good hearted and sensable whites understand, how debilatating, paralyzing and depriving racism .is to black folk yesterday and today. Whites need to come out of their "denial".... the culture of death, drugs, violence,homicide plaguing black communities across the country can be found in the banishment of black people from their family roots, that was ressurrected after the destructiveness of the transatlantic slave trade, and devastating , dynamic of evil of social ,economic and cultural genocide, during and after the civil war.
thank you , much success.
Ahmad Qadri
We aim to reveal a solution necesarry We aim to provide the solution necessary for the black race in particular and the whole World in general. Blessed love. Royal Ambassador Rt. Hon. Prophet Moambeh E.A.B.I.C Church of Salvation
Blessed Heart of Love My Lords and Empresses,
It is a fact that Africans in America are in a state of mental slavery to this day! I am an Ambassador to the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress True Church of Divine Salvation with our Worthy Founder Leader President God and King the Rt. Hon. King Emmanuel Charles Edwards the Black Christ in flesh, who has come in these last days to break the chains of mental slavery and bring ALL children of slavery to remembrance of their true godly self in flesh and blood. We are living in the days of Revelation so it is vital to put in perspective who we are and where we fit in the scheme of this era. When Slavery was abolished in or about 1834 the monies that was given to the colonies for the slaves was never distributed. For instance the forty acres and a mule deal in America was never fulfilled. In the Caribbean the Queen of England Granted its Colonies 120,000,000 Pounds Sterling for all Slave Children of the Caribbean Countries.
A crucial component of Reparations is not only monetary but also the establishment of 7, 9 or 13 miles of Black Star Line Ships. This would involve a fleet of seaworthy vessels along with the competent Crew and adequate operating expenses. This was Marcus Garvey’s goal for all African descents in the Diaspora. The 120,000,000 Pounds Sterling granted by Queen Victoria, in 1834, for all the British colonies of the West Indies, now stand, with Interest Rate, at 7,469,696,470,000 that is to say Seven Trillion, Four Hundred and Sixty Nine billion, Six hundred and Ninety Six million, and Four Hundred and Seventy thousand Pounds Sterling.
The responsibility to provide the Finances to pay for the Full Costs of Repatriation and Reparation belongs to the European Union, the Arab World, America and the Caribbean countries. That is, every single country and nation that has benefited from slavery and the slave trade is responsible for meeting the full costs of Repatriation and Reparations.
All Humanity have a responsibility to themselves to first be true to self as our Mighty Prophet Marcus Garvey teaches for only then can we be true to anyone else. The black race is one of the larges in the Human family and because of genocide it’s the most divided. Until the past is rectified morally, spiritually and materially the cycle of negativity will continue to consume all who seek for happiness and justice in this dark world we now live in. We must allow the power of TRUE LOVE to work this matter out, hence the Ras Tafari Order of Melchizedec (the E.A.B.I.C.) guided by the High Priest King Emmanuel and His 144.000 Priest, Prophet and Apostles must be given our demand of Freedom Redemption and International Repatriation with Reparation so to set the chaos created thru greed and hate to a natural balance on earth.
For more information go to eabic.net and houseofbobo.com.
May the God Shepherd guide and protect you all going out and coming in.
Reparation, for a generation that has long since forgotten... While the ill effects are clearly engrained, monetary endowment without the endorsement of an educational process is a foolish endeavor. Gaining wealth without going through it building process retards our ability to keep it. Has anyone looked at the targeted markets during the last refinance boom? It parallels many of the mechanisms engineered to keep the recurring cycles of generational bondages that continue to ravage our families.
It is time that the true history is told of how this country has come to know its richness. It is time to uncover the whole story and not just that of the European contribution and spin of the creation of this great nation called the United States of America.
African Americans all across this country provided physical labor, and intellectual capacity through creating physical infrastructure and unacknowledged technological inventions which have brought this country the buildings, transport systems and access to the riches for which it now lays claim.
During this process, on the backs of African Americans, these very people have been shut out from the access to an equitable education, employment that has opportunities for advancement, the ability to purchase property anywhere he or she desires, etc., and then banishing them from their property when they achieved their goals... the goals of every American looking t pursue the American dream...
In this country, structural racism denies African Americans the opportunity to achieve their goals by not allowing them to begin on a level playing field. The less resources an African American child is born into, the less chance that he or she will be successful. Structural racism puts challenges at every turn. It barricades the doors to equal education, which then negatively impacts the opportunity for equal pay, entry into entry level positions and/or opportunities for meaningful advancement, which then has a negative impact on housing opportunities, purchase of property, ability to pay for higher education, etc.
Structural racism which poses challenges at the earliest of ages for children, creates the problems which we see today. If families who had achieved enough financial success to purchase houses and property... were not threatened with their lives and any other sort of physical harm ... and were left to achieve the American dream as their white counterparts, what other opportunities would they have availed themselves of ... like advanced education, additional resources...etc.
What threat would their success have posed for their white counterparts? What would the community have really lost? What could it have gained? What explanation is there for the incredible fear that white counterparts had and apparently still have that creates this venomous hatred? For centuries now there is this fabricated idea that African Americans cannot be trusted.... that there are these violent tendencies and an inability to be civilized or to even be educated.... Yet, the REAL TRUTH seems to be that history describes Europeans as war mongering victors who take down people from different cultures who are somehow less than REAL humans... and must be cornered and caged and heavily monitored... because they are not worthy of having anything of value that whites have not earned but still deserve.
Anne Robertson. question... What makes you think that the families of African Americans who had property stolen from them are currently collecting government financial aid? The families shown in "Banished" currently own homes and seem to be at least "middle class"? Is this perception possibly a result of the media's negative portrayal of African Americans as poor, welfare recipients, who have nothing and don't amount to anything...living in cauldrons of crime in urban communities? I am interested in how you came to think of that question in particular.
As Americans learn about the REAL TRUTHS of all of the people who inhabited this wonderful land and made significant contributions impacting the advancement of this country economically, in all geographic parts of the country, the more Americans can appreciate the contributions made by African Americans. It is important for Americans to understand the contributions of African Americans and the difficult blows dealt to them because of prejudice, discrimination and hatred as it has impacted the ability of African Americans to move forward at a pace that others have enjoyed and been rewarded for. What would this country look like if African Americans were permitted to stay on land that they purchased resulting from their hard work and earnings just like their white counterparts. Why is there such fear in giving African Americans an equal opportunity to be successful? Why is it that white America uses African American male sexuality repeatedly to help anihilate and destroy them?
“The reparations movement… holds out the promise of the reconstruction of the African American community, the reconstruction of the morality of the white community, reconstruction of the entire American community.”
—Alfred Brophy, law professor
Wrong, the reparations movement holds out the near certainty of a continuation of the racial divisions and underlying animosity in our country. It will never heal. Others who were injured and not monetarily rewarded will become disgruntled and it will never end.
THIS is just another divisive log to throw on the already roaring racial divide fires in the country. Lots of people and races did not get a fair shake. If you are going to go to all this effort to trace this down then you must do it for everyone who alleges they were not treated fairly. Are we prepared to fund and staff agencies to do that? If you decide someone is entitled to compensation, will you then reduce the award by the amount, if any, of public assistance this family received.
Its time to get on with healing. Its a hornets nest best left untouched.
