FOR SALE
Box-Set DVD
$35.00
plus $3.00 shipping (US)

checks or money orders only
include shipping address

to:
Roz Payne Archives
POBox 164
Richmond, Vermont 05477 USA

(802) 434-3172
e-mail: roznews@aol.com
www.newsreel.us

 

"The invaluable Movement documentaries Newsreel produced furthered the work of the Black Panther Party and now provide the esdentail visual record of the Party's early days. This new dvd collection offers an extraordinary compilation that includes historic behind the scenes details taken from a wide range of interviews and contemporary events as well as the classic Newsreel films."—Kathleen Cleaver, Communications Secretary, Black Panther Party, 1967–1971

For the first time on DVD, AK Press is proud to present three acclaimed Newsreel Films on the Black Panther Party: Off the Pig; Mayday; and Repression.

Formed in 1967, the Newsreel film collective was dedicated to chronicling and analyzing current events. In their time, they produced more than three dozen films throughout the US and abroad. By working directly with the Black Panthers, Newsreel was able to explore realities often ignored by traditional media outlets, while producing documents that the Panthers and other activists could use in organizing their own communities. The results speak for themselves and stand as true testimonials to the spirit of community self-defense and political savvy the Panthers are celebrated—and were targeted—for.

Accompanying the Newsreel films is a massive quantity of rare and exclusive materials culled from Roz Payne's extensive collection of FBI documents, correspondence, and interviews with Black Panthers and their supporters. It's all here, the government-sponsored repression, the trials, exile, triumph, and reunion.

What We Want, What We Believe is not a straight-forward documentary—the additional materials are like Roz Payne's home movies—but more like a tapestry woven from fragments of cloth. As a whole, these fragments present a rich and provocative history, straight from the mouths of Panthers, their supporters, and even the agents charged with neutralizing them.

These materials—over 12 hours—are crucial to our continuing understanding of the Black Panther Party and their legacy. Any student of American History, Black Studies, Political Science & Law, Film Studies, or Civil Rights struggles will find a wealth of valuable information in the Library.

A portion of the proceeds from this project will go to support Black Panther Prisoners through Books Behind Bars, the Jericho Movement, and the Human Rights Research Fund. We urge you to seek out these groups and donate time and resources to their ongoing work.

This 12-hour DVD features three films on the Black Panther Party and additional footage on their history and legacy.
Special bonus features: Documents from the Roz Payne Archives chronicling the movement and repression against it. English Language, Region Free

Disc One:
Three Newsreel Films, Interviews with Field Marshall Donald Cox, Footage from 35th Anniversary Reunion

Disc Two:
Interviews with Former FBI Agents discussing COINTELPRO tactics, Footage from the Wheelock Academic Conference on the BPP

Disc Three:
Interviews with various movement lawyers discussing Panther cases

Disc Four:
Interviews with Newsreel members, DVD-Rom extras from the Roz Payne Archives

 

PLEASE VISIT

akpress.org

and the FULVUE DRIVE-IN review

LUCID SCREENING review

and

How History Came to Love the Black Panthers
By Scott Thill, January 31, 2007

 

 

 

DVD - NEWSREEL FILMS ON THE BLACK PANTHERS

PRODUCED BY ROZ PAYNE & NEWSREEL
EXUCUTIVE PRODUCER E.W. STETSON
EDITED BY SAM ALCOFF
DVD AUTHORING BY NATE BEAMAN
INTERNET TECHNOLOGY BY JOHN DOUGLAS
DISTRIBUTED BY AK PRESS

 

The Newsreel films are Mayday and Off the Pig, both made by San Francisco Newsreel along with Repression made by Los Angeles Newsreel.

Off the Pig contains interviews with Party leaders Eldridge Cleaver and Huey Newton describing why the Party was formed and its goals. It includes footage of Panther recruitment, training, demonstration opening day of Huey's trial and the Party's original 10 Point Program laid out by Bobby Seale.

Mayday (Black Panther) film: On May 1, 1969 the Black Panther Party held a massive rally in San Francisco with speakers Kathleen Cleaver, Bobby Seale, attorney Charles Garry, and Bob Avikian. The footage includes footage of the police raid on the Panther headquarters a few days prior to the rally and the Panther's Breakfast for children Program.

Repression , recently discovered, was made by Los Angeles Newsreel and has never been distributed. It is about the police attack on the Los Angeles BPP office including footage of the shoot out, breakfast program, confrontation between Panthers and Ron Karanga's US group , the funeral of Bunchy Carter and John Huggins, and music by Elaine Brown.

Additional material will be included along with the Newsreel films.

FBI Special Agent WAC (William A. Cohendet) , San Francisco case agent who opened the FBI file on the Black Panther Party. He was responsible for the bi monthly reports to FBI headquarters. He is the only FBI agent to reveal his role against the Panthers. He was a great writer and knew all the gossip. This is the only interview he gave.

FBI Special Agent Wesley Swearingen reveals stories never before told about the FBI and The Black Panther Party.

Donald Cox , Field Marshall of the Black Panthers presently exiled in France and wanted for murder in the USA. DC was in charge of the Panther military and discusses politics, military actions, and other events that most Panthers have not talked or written about.

Attorney Beverly Axlerod was responsible for getting panther leader Eldridge Cleaver out of jail. The book Soul on Ice by Cleaver is dedicated to her and includes her letters. The famous picture of Huey sitting in the chair with the gun and spear was shot in her home and the first BPP newspaper was made on her mimeograph machine. (This interview was shot a year before she died)

Elizabeth Fink discusses Dhoruba Bin-Wadhad case and the Panther 21 case and more.

Attorneys Jessie Berman and Jerry Lefcourt discuss the New York Panther 21 trial . After two years in the court the 21 Panthers were found Not Guilty.

Attorney Bob Bloom tells the story of panther Geronimo Pratt who was released from jail after being held for 21 years.

Attorney Robert Boyle discusses panther Dhoruba Bin-Wadhad and how he was released after 17 years in jail.

Interviews with Newsreel members and supporters of the Black Panther Party:

Marilyn Buck (presently in jail) Newsreel member , Black Panther and Black Liberation supporter

The Falk family and friends including Newsreel members Nancy Falk, Michael Falk, Gay Falk and children Christipher and Melanie Falk. Along with Phil Spinelli. Including a story of the New Haven woman's march and demonstration in support of the New Haven Panthers.

Cindy Fitzpatrick and Christine Hansen from Los Angeles Newsreel talk about LA Panthers

Dozie McFadden, Gay Falk and Gail Dolgin, Newsreel members tell NR/Black Panther stories.

Jane Kramer, Roz Payne and John Douglas reflect on the early days of Newsreel

Marty Kenner, was the major fundraiser/money manager for the Black Panther Party. He spent time in Algeria with Panthers in Exile, confidant of Huey and more.

Thirty-Fifth Reunion of the BPP - events and interviews

Wheelock College Academic Conference - important presentations and discussions by academic scholars

Roz Payne Newsreel member, Newsreel third world section tells her Black Panther story with photos she shot and Bonus Material:

Photo Gallery of 100 photographs including work by David Fenton & Stephen Shamas

FBI Drawings of Black Panther members from FBI files.
Important FBI documents and Cointelpro files
Photos of arrest of Curtis Powell Panther 21
Photos of opening day of Huey P Newton trial in Oakland
Panther 21 trial demonstrations
Photos of Panther reunions and other events
Posters, buttons, small press, leaflets and artifact
PDF file of 200 documents including FBI COINTELPRO
Black Panthers position papers and newspaper clippings and more

Anyone with access to this DVD will not only be able to see and hear the stories behind the Black Panthers from the source, but they will also be able to navigate their way through and read actual documents. The services that Urban Rhino Visual will provide include: the encoding of all provided materials for DVD Playback, image and audio quality correction of these materials, DVD layout, authoring and design. Urban Rhino Visual will provide packaging, label and insert design as well as assisting with or refining of editing, document preparation for DVD or any other media related service.
The Black Panther Newsreel DVD will stand to be an invaluable, uncensored, and unique resource of a crucial Civil Rights movement in American History.

Roz Payne (Newsreel Film and Black Panther History)
Founding member of New York Newsreel
Newsreel Archivist including films, photos, papers, documents.
Professor Burlington College: Teaches Civil Rights History, Women's History, Racism in American ,and Newsreel Films.
Advisor Vermont International Film Festival
Vermont Legal Aid board member
Green Valley Media Board member
Burlington/Bethlehem, Arad Sister City Board member
Read more than 350,500 documents and made a computerized index to the FBI Counter Inteligence files against Blacks and the Black Panther Party.
Advisor for Eyes on the Price contributed to story on Black Panther Fred Hampton
International Center for Photography .Show Only Skin Deep photo in permanent collection Yellow Peril Supports Black Power
Black Panther photographs appearing in 8 publications
Attended Panther 21 reunions, Black Panther 30 year anniversary.
Wheelock College academic conference. Presented paper on FBI Agent WAC.
Testified at the Panther 21 Trial NYC
Art exhibit of FBI art and the Black Panthers “The Art of Crime / The Crime of Art(Traveling exhibit)
Photo Show Black Panthers (Traveling exhibit)
Slide Show Black Panthers
Member of Friends of the Panthers