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Transcript

BlacKkKlansman

The present Embodies The past

By: Victoria Crosdale 8/25/18

The True story

On August 10, 2018 Director Spike Lee released his newest film, BlacKkKlansman.

What seems to intrigue audiences most is the fact that the movie is based on a true story - a true story with surprising relevance to the present day.

In the Late 1970's Ron Stallworth made history as the first African American man to join the Colorado Springs police force.

Stallworth put up with years of harassment from citizens as well as his fellow officers. But he remained undeterred in his quest to become a respected detective.

During his fourth year on the force, Stallworth spotted an advertisement for the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the local newspaper. He was inspired to call the listed number and from then on began his 5 month undercover investigation.

In the movie characters manipulate appearances and assumptions in order to reach their goals.

Appearances

At the CCBSU meeting, Ture also discussed how predominate physical features of black people were regarded as unattractive. Having wide noses, "nappy" hair, thick lips and big hips was generally frowned upon.

During this part of Ture's speech, images of the black people listening to him were shown. They all looked on in solidarity as he spoke.

When Stallworth made that first call to the KKK, he was immediately presumed to be white. Later on he asked David Duke (the Grand Wizard of the KKK) how he knew that Stallworth was white over the phone. Duke responded by telling him that black people don't pronounce or enunciate words properly.

The detective who actually attended the meetings in Stallworth’s place was named Phillip 'Flip' Zimmerman. Going undercover was extremely risky for him, because he was Jewish. Jewish people are another group that the KKK can’t stand.

No one was ever suspicious of Zimmerman except for one member, who was quickly shut down by the others.

Radical Violence

In the Movie there are several different perspectives to consider, but one thing they all seem to have in common is the deliberation of taking radical and violent action.

Stallworth's first undercover assignment was to attend a meeting of The Colorado College Black Student Union (CCBSU).

The CCBSU had invited former Black Panther Stokely Carmichael (now known as Kwame Ture) to give a speech.

Ture had a drastic outlook on the roles of black people and police in America. He avidly believed that all cops were racist and that African Americans were all at their mercy. He preached that war was well on its way, and warned his audience to arm themselves.

The speech easily managed to rile up the students, they appeared ready to stand and fight alongside their oppressed "brothers and sisters".

The Ku Klux Klan is a group historically known for taking extreme action in order to convey their message.

The movies most violent moments were all caused by KKK members.

Weater it was arguments between members, shooting at Stallworth, or setting off a bomb.

The movie's parallel moments were enigmatic to say the least.

Parallels

First off the CCBSU seems to meet in an underground way, they gain publicity through word of mouth. The KKK operates publicly, hence the newspaper ad.

On top of that, in the movie the Black Students Union invited two guest speakers who both had to give their speeches in tight cramped spaces.

When David Duke came to Colorado, he was provided a police escort, a motorcade, and a large banquet hall to speak in.

The parallels between Stallworth and Zimmerman were also important. In the movie there is a discussion about W.E.B. Dubois’ philosophy of Double Consciousness. “The individual sensation of feeling as though your identity is divided into several parts, making it difficult or impossible to have one unified identity.”

The two identities that Stallworth had to juggle were that of a black man and a police officer.

For Zimmerman it was being Jewish and being white, ironically he ends up performing more KKK rituals than he ever did any Jewish ones. The whole idea makes him begin to regret having "passed for white" all his life.

The KKK famously spouted the phrase “White Power”, while the CCBSU and their affiliates all chanted “All the Power to All the people”. At one point in the film both groups recite their slogans simultaneously.

The movie ends with footage of the KKK rallies and riots that took place in Charlottesville, Virgina. The event occurred exactly a year before the movies release in August of 2017.

The Present

The imagery displayed in the clips is meant to remind the audience that the movie they just saw, and all its violence, is based on actual events. That a cross burning or planting bombs isn't something of fantasy. They’re occurrences that could happen at any time.

The bigotry and hate that helped found the KKK is still alive and well in America.

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