Deacons for defense, produced by showtime starring academyaward winners forest whitaker, ossie davis and jonathan silverman are still being shown across the nation and in different parts of the world. This took place during freedom summer, 1964, right after the civil rights act had become law. The deacons for defense and justice was a group founded in jonesboro, louisiana, in 1964 to organize men to. Deacons for defense 2003 posters the movie database. In 1964 a small group of african american men in jonesboro, louisiana, defied the nonviolence policy of the mainstream civil rights movement and formed an armed selfdefense organizationthe deacons for defense and justiceto protect movement workers from vigilante and police violence. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed africanamerican selfdefense group. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award winner, christopher britton, ossie davis, jonathan silverman, adam weiner, and marcus johnson. In his deacons for defense, lance hill directs long overdue attention to the deacons for defense dfd and what he rightly calls, the myth of nonviolence. Adams journal of social history, volume 39, number 1, fall 2005, pp.
Deacons for defense is a 2003 american television drama film directed by bill duke. Based on a story by michael dantonio, the teleplay was written by richard wesley and frank military the film is loosely based on the activities of the deacons. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed self defense africanamerican civil rights organization in the u. A year before the publication of the book, the deacons were the subject of a 2003 made for television movie, deacons for defense. Deacons for defense tv movie 2003 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed africanamerican self defense group. Deacons for defense provided protection when no one else would. Its available to watch on tv, online, tablets, phone. Released 2003, deacons for defense stars forest whitaker, jonathan silverman, ossie davis, adam weiner the r movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 35 min, and received a score of out of 100 on. The deacons were organized in onesboro, louisiana in 1964 by local blacks to protect the largercommunityandcivilrights activists from theku klux klan andothervigilantes. Start streaming a complimentary selection of shows and movies while you wait for your xfinity tv service to be installed.
The deacons tense confrontation with the klan in bogalusa was. This is the true story of a group of african american men who took an aggressive and armed stand in the fight for civil rights. The story follows the formation of local black men, particularly exwar veterans who after the struggles become too overbearing organizes the group, deacons for defense, an allblack defense group dedicated to patrolling the black section of town and protecting. You can watch recordings anytime, anywhere with your cloud dvr. The deacons for defense and justice national archives. Bogalusa deacons for defense and justice robert hicks.
The work of the deacons is the subject of a 2003 television movie, deacons for defense. Fact based movie stars forest whitaker and ossie davis, the former as the founder of the deacons of defense and justice ddj and the latter as a peaceful minister trying to prevent the unavoidable violence that will follow. The family of the late civil rights activist robert hicks, a leader of the deacons for defense in the 1960s, is working to turn his home into a. Fact based movie stars forest whitaker and ossie davis, the. Bogalusa deacons for defense and justice robert hicks foundation. The boston herald this superb showtime original docudrama is based on a littletold story of the civil rights movement. Hicks was a leader of the deacons for defense and justice in the 1960s, a grassroots selfdefense force that protected civil rights workers and africanamericans. Deacons for defense internet movie firearms database. The organization was made up of black veterans from world war ii, who believed in armed self defense. With their largest and most famous chapter at the center of a bloody campaign in the ku klux klan. A television movie, deacons for defense 2003, directed by bill duke and starring forest. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed selfdefense africanamerican civil rights organization in the u.
The words black power bring back memories of names like stokely. Watch deacons for defense tv movie full hd online directed by bill duke. Only watching the movie, though, gives the impression. With the whole world watching, these men changed forever their lives, their town, and their country. Historically, the organization practiced selfdefense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out under the jim crow laws by localstate government officials and racist vigilantes. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed selfdefense african american civil rights organization in the u. The television film stars forest whitaker academy award. Synopsis there were no passive sitins for the deacons of defense. Historically, the organization practiced selfdefense methods in the face of racist.
Inspired by a true story, this made for cable drama is set in 1965, not long after passage of the civil rights act. Deacons for defense, produced by showtime starring academyaward winners forest whitaker, ossie davis and jonathan silverman are. Watch deacons for defense online stream full movie directv. With forest whitaker, chris britton, jonathan silverman, ossie davis.
On february 21, 1965the day of malcolm xs assassinationthe first affiliated chapter was founded in bogalusa, louisiana, followed by a total of 20 other chapters in this state, mississippi. Nominated outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries screen actors guild awards 2004. Deacons for defense and justice forgotten heroes of the. The deacons for defense and justice was an armed africanamerican self defense group founded in november 1964, during the civil rights era in the united states, in the mill town of jonesboro, louisiana. Inspired by a true story, this madeforcable drama is set in 1965, not long after passage of the civil rights act. Only watching the movie, though, gives the impression that the deacons were a local movement that never gained much traction outside of a single town in louisiana. In 1964 a small group of african american men in jonesboro, louisiana, defied the nonviolence policy of the mainstream civil rights movement and formed an armed self. Deacons for defense is the almost forgotten but true story of a group of african american men who boldly took up arms against the ku klux klan. Terms of activation by activating, you agree that you want to enable cloud technology to access your xfinity stream subscription on additional supported devices like computers and tablets, as well as the tv connected to your settop dvr via comcasts network. The deacons for defense provided protection for people participating in protest marches in mississippi in 1966. Fbi files relating to the deacons for defense and justice. Eventually they organized a third chapter in louisiana. Deacons for defense is a 2003 showtime movie that was inspired by a true story of a group of african american citizens of bogalusa, louisiana, who took up arms to protect themselves from the kkk and the local law. Historically, the organization practiced self defense methods in the face of racist oppression that was carried out under the jim crow laws by localstate government officials and racist vigilantes.
They were members of the deacons for defense and justice, a black selfdefense organization that had already engaged the klan in several shooting. Deacons for defense the 2003 movie, trailers, videos and more at yidio. Standing in the street only a few feet from the klan, was a line of grim, unyielding black men. Deacons for defense and justice forgotten heroes of the civil rights movement. The deacons for defense university of north carolina press. If u find any movie with download link unavailable leave a comment under that movie i will reupload quick. The deacons for defense and justice, an armed african american selfdefense group charged with protecting local black communities and civil rights volunteers, was organized in july. The organization was made up of black veterans from world war ii, who believed in armed selfdefense. The deacons for defense and justice was founded in 1964 in jonesboro, louisiana to protect civil rights activists from the ku klux klan. Its a provocative look into the heart of a courageous and progressive radical. Watch deacons for defense starring forest whitaker in this drama on directv.