Hidden Gems - Volume IV: The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 ~ Emerald Quill

Feb 17, 2012

Hidden Gems - Volume IV: The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

2/17/2012 Unknown No comments

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

As a young student being educated in the Chicago suburbs, the only Black historical figures I remember learning about in school were Fredrick Douglas, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At home, my parents and sisters introduced me to some of the influential Black leaders and figures that my school failed to mention - Malcolm X, Stokley Carmichael, Eldridge Cleaver, Medger Evers and Angela Davis to name a few.

Every February, during Black History Month, I still hear school kids say the same watered down stories of how "Rosa Parks was too tired to move to the back of the bus" or how "Harriet Tubman was a tour guide on the Underground Railroad". These historic events have been altered like a game of "telephone". They start out as events that impact an entire way of life, but as they are retold in history class, they are merely regulated to bulletin board blurbs framed in Kinte Cloth posted for 28 days a year.

Rare Footage: Stokley Carmichael interviews his Mother

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 is such a unique documentary. The film presents recently discovered 16mm footage of important icons of both the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements. Swedish television journalists captured the footage in an attempt to give those living outside of the U.S. an honest look at the state of America in the late 60's / early 70's.

Since I was born in October of 1975, I wasn't around to actually witness these events as they happened. The Black Power Mixtape has given me an opportunity to witness the harsh realities of being Black in America during the seven years that preceded my birth. The social and cultural changes that took place in that short period of time has had a lasting impact on the country. Unfortunately, some Americans would rather forget about those events and down play the importance of this time frame.

America's Most Wanted

The events seen in The Black Power Mixtape are complemented by voice commentary that is played along with the historic footage. The commentary is provided by historical figures from the footage, including Angela Davis and Bobby Seale along with contemporary artists who have been inspired by specific events during the era (Erykah Badu, Questlove, Harry Belafonte).

The Black Power Mixtape 1967 - 1975 can been seen on Netflix. The documentary has also been included as part of the PBS series "Independent Lens". Regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, The Black Power Mixtape is a culturally significant film that everyone should make time to watch. The documentary is appropriate during any month of the year, not just February.