>>> BLACK PEOPLE ARMED WITH
THEIR FAITH AND AMBITION BUILT
THE MOST PROSPEROUS PLACE NOT
JUST FOR BLACK PEOPLE, BUT FOR
ANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND WHAT DID THIS RACIST, WHITE
COMMUNITY OF TULSA DO IN
RESPONSE?
THEY BURNED IT TO THE GROUND.
>> AND THAT WAS THE REVEREND
ROBERT TURNER IN A CLIP FROM A
NEW DOCUMENTARY ENTITLED RISE
AGAIN TULSA AND THE RED SUMMER.
REVEREND TURNER IS PASTOR OF THE
VERNON AME CHURCH IN THE
GREENWOOD DISTRICT OF TULSA, THE
ONLY BUILDING THAT REMAINED
INTACT DURING THE RACE MASSACRE
OF 1921.
JOINING US IS DAWN PORTER, THE
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR OF "RISE
AGAIN".
ALSO JOINING US PRODUCER RAINY
ARRINGTON WRATH WHO IS ALSO A
PRODUCER OF THE PROJECT FRONT
LINE "UNRESOLVED".
IT EXAMINES LIVES CUT SHORT BY
ACTIONS OF RACIAL VIOLENCE.
BUT "RISE AGAIN," THE HEART OF
THE FILM IS THE AWARD WINNING
"THE WASHINGTON POST"
JOURNALIST, DANEEN BROWN WHO
REPORTED ON THIS.
TELL US ABOUT HER AND THE FILM.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
ITS GOOD TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN.
I ALWAYS LOVE BEING ON YOUR
SHOW.
SO DANEEN BROWN IS A MULTIPLE
AWARD WINNING JOURNALIST FROM
THE POST.
SHE HAS BEEN REPORTING ON THE
FACTS OF THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE
AND WROTE A REALLY GROUND
BREAKING ARTICLE FOR "THE
WASHINGTON POST."
IN THAT ARTICLE, SHE RECOUNTED
THE SITUATION IN 1921 WHEN A
FALSE ALLEGATION OF A BLACK MAN
ASSAULTING A WHITE WOMAN WAS THE
CAN, OSTENSIBLE REASON, WHY THE
BLACK PROSPEROUS AREA OF TULSA,
OKLAHOMA, GREENWOOD, 35 CITY
BLOCKS WERE BURNED TO THE
GROUND.
AIRPLANES DROPPED FIRE BOMBS
OMEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE
TOWN AND THEN UP TO 6,000
RESIDENTS WERE INTURNED IN AN
INTERNMENT CAMP.
SO THIS HISTORY IS TERRIBLE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO TULSA, SHE
ALSO REPORTED ON THE OTHER, UP
TO 25 CITIES IN AMERICA, IN THE
PERIOD OF THE RED SUMMER.
AND SO ITS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND THAT TULSA WAS NOT
AN ANOMALY, IT WAS ONE OF A
SERIES OF MASS INSTANCES OF MASS
VIOLENCE TARGETED AGAINST BLACK
PEOPLE, USUALLY WHEN THEY WERE
TRYING TO ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS.
>> WHAT ARE YOU HOPING PEOPLE
WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS AS WE
LOOK BACK AT HISTORY AND WERE
LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE THESE
MOMENTS EVEN WITH THE PRESIDENT
DECLARING JUNETEENTH A FEDERAL
HOLIDAY, WERE TRYING TO PUT
INTO PERSPECTIVE THE PARTS OF
OUR HISTORY THAT PERHAPS MIGHT
HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED, EVEN IN
SCHOOLING.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT IM
TRYING TO PUT FORTH AND WHAT
DANEEN IS DOING WITH HER
REPORTING IS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE
CONVERSATION THAT YOU JUST HAD
ABOUT WOKENESS.
THIS IS A PERIOD OF HISTORY THAT
LED TO, YOU KNOW, BLACK PEOPLE
BEING MURDERED BY NOT ONLY OTHER
CITIZENS BUT BY THE POLICE, AND
SO, IF WE DONT UNDERSTAND THIS
HISTORY, WE ARE SEEING IT
REPEATED.
AND SO, I THINK ITS REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE SEPARATE OUT
FACT AND IM SORRY IF THAT MAKES
PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE OR ASHAMED.
PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASHAMED.
AND THEY SHOULD WORK TO
UNDERSTAND WHY BLACK PEOPLE AND
SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR
ARE ANGRY AND FEARFUL.
AND ONCE WE UNDERSTOOD THAT,
PERHAPS THEN WE CAN MOVE
FORWARD.
SO THATS ONE PIECE OF IT.
THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS THE
RESISTANCE AND THE IDEA OF WHY
THE BLACK COMMUNITIES WERE
ATTACKED.
THEY WERE ATTACKED BECAUSE THEY
WERE PROSPEROUS AND DOING WELL.
AND BY "WELL," I DONT MEAN THEY
WERE ALL WEALTHY.
THEY WERE LIVING THEIR LIVES.
THESE WERE THRIVING BLACK
COMMUNITIES THAT CAUSED SO MUCH
ENVY THAT THE WHITE COMMUNITIES
LITERALLY BURNED THEM TO THE
GROUND.
AND I DONT THINK ITS WOKE TO
UNDERSTAND, APPRECIATE, AND
ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY THOSE
ATROCITIES.
>> ITS JONATHAN LEMIRE.
TOLL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
PROJECT, RAINY, OBVIOUSLY AN
EXTRAORDINARILY POWERFUL SUBJECT
MATTER.
WHAT LED YOU TO IT AND WHY DO
YOU THINK ITS SO IMPORTANT
RIGHT NOW?
>> GREAT.
AND FIRST OF ALL, IM DOING IT
WITH DAWN PORTER, SO YOU HAVE
BOTH OF US HERE LEADING THE
PROJECT FOR FRONT LINE.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS
ABOUT FRONT LINE IS WHAT DAWN
SAID, TO BE A CURRENT AFFAIR
SERIES, A DOCUMENTARY SERIES IN
2021 WE NEED TO START TELLING
OUR HISTORY, TOO.
THIS IS VETTED INSIDE A WEB
INSTALLATION, INTERACTION AND WE
HOPE WERE GOING TO UNCOVER AND
SHED LIGHT ON CIVIL RIGHTS COLD
CASES.
THE NAME OF BREONNA TAYLOR IS
WELL KNOWN.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ALBERTA JONES AND
SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE MURDERED IN
RACIALLY MOTIVATED MURDERS IN
THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA.
SO THIS PROJECT ATTEMPTS TO TELL
PEOPLE.
THESE ARE THOSE PEOPLE, THEY HAD
WONDERFUL LIVES AND THEY WERE
CUT SHORT.
AND BECAUSE WERE FRONT LINE, OF
COURSE, WE RELY ON FACTS AND WE
ALSO RELY ON INVESTIGATIVE
JOURNALISM.
WERE ASKING WHAT DID THE
GOVERNMENT DO AND WHAT CAN THEY
DO NOW ABOUT THIS, THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE
FBI.
>> DAWN, AL SHARPTON HERE, AS I
LISTEN TO YOU TELL ABOUT THESE
STORIES, DO YOU THINK PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE INHERENT PAIN THAT MANY
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, FOR EXAMPLE,
HAVE GROWN UP WITH KNOWING THESE
STORIES THAT WERE NOT PUT OUT TO
MUCH OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, AND
THE HORRORS THAT WE INTERNALIZE
BECAUSE WE GREW UP IN THAT
ATMOSPHERE AND WHEN YOU FAST
FORWARD TO TODAY, SEGUE FROM
WHERE WE WERE DISCUSSING IN THE
LAST SEGMENT ABOUT WHAT
INCREMENTAL PROGRESS HAS BEEN
MADE BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO
GO, YOU CAN THEN UNDERSTAND WHY
WE ALL CRIED WHEN CHAUVIN WAS
CONVICTED FOR KILLING GEORGE
FLOYD BECAUSE WE THOUGHT OF THE
THOUSANDS OF GEORGE FLOYDS THAT
NEVER GOT TO COURT OR MASSACRES
THAT WERE COVERED.
THAT PAIN WE DONT UNDERSTAND
UNTIL WE SEE PROJECTS LIKE YOURS
GO PUBLIC.
>> THATS RIGHT, REVEREND.
BY "PEOPLE," I WANT TO SAY
ESPECIALLY WHITE PEOPLE I DONT
THINK WHITE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE THE CHILD
OR GRANDCHILDREN OF A PERSON WHO
WITNESSED THEIR HOME BEING FIRE
BOMBED AND WITNESSED MOTHERS AND
FATHERS MAKING THE CHOICE ABOUT
WHETHER THEY SHOULD STAY IN
THEIR HOMES OR LEAVE AND RISK
HAVING BOMBS DROPPED BY THEM.
SHOULD THEY STAY ON THE INSIDE
AND BURN UP OR RUN THROUGH THE
STREETS.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THATS
INTERESTING AND TRAGIC IS, THIS
HISTORY WAS NOT ACCIDENTALLY
OMITTED FROM HISTORY BOOKS.
I DIDNT LEARN ABOUT THIS IN NEW
YORK CITY QUALITY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
I DIDNT LEARN ABOUT THIS
HISTORY IN MY EXPENSIVE PRIVATE
COLLEGE.
AND SO, WHY IS IT THAT THAT PART
OF OUR HISTORY IS NOT -- IS
ATTEMPTED TO BE ERASED.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERHAPS WE
LEAVE THE PAST TO THE PAST AND
PERHAPS WERE OVERCORRECTING, I
THINK THATS ABSOLUTELY
INCORRECT.
I THINK FOR SO LONG THE SIN OF
OMISSION IS AS GREAT AS THE SIN
OF COMISSION.
AND WE HIT THIS HISTORY
INTENTIONALLY.
NOW WE HAVE A PAINFUL RECKONING
TO DO AND PERHAPS IF WE HAD DONE
IT DECADES AGO WE WOULDNT BE IN
THE PLACE WE ARE TODAY.
>> DAWN, ISNT THAT WHATS
HAPPENING?
ISNT THAT WHAT YOURE DOING?
THIS ISNT THAT WHAT ANNETTE IS
DOING WITH "ON JUNETEENTH"?
ARENT WE MOVING IN THAT
DIRECTION RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK WE ARE MOVING IN THAT
DIRECTION, AND IM VERY
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THAT IS LONG OVERDUE.
I DO WORRY, THOUGH, ABOUT THE
BACKLASH, SUBTLE AND OVERT,
ABOUT LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING
HISTORY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THATS -- PART
OF MY POINT IS, THIS IS A
SHAMEFUL PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CLIP THAT
WAS SELECTED FIRST ABOUT
REPARATIONS, THATS A SMALL PART
OF OUR MOVIE BUT ITS A REALLY
SIGNIFICANT PART.
THE VICTIMS OF THE TULSA
MASSACRE ITEMIZED THEIR
FURNITURE AND HOUSEHOLD
BELONGINGS AND JEWELRY AND
EVERYTHING THEY LOST AND THE
INSURANCE COMPANIES DENIED THOSE
CLAIMS BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS
A RIOT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPARATIONS,
LETS BE VERY CLEAR HERE, THESE
PEOPLE ARE ALL OF THEIR WORLDLY
POSSESSIONS DESTROYED.
EVERYTHING THEY HAD WORKED FOR
FOR DECADES JUST GETTING OUT OF
SLAVERY AND THEN THEY WERE PUT
IN INTERNMENT CAMPS.
EVERY OTHER RACIAL MINORITY OR
ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS MINORITY THAT
WAS PERSECUTED THAT WAY HAD SOME
RECOME PESZ PAID WHY NOT THE
VICTIMS OF TULSA?
>> WEVE BEEN HAVING THIS
DISCUSSION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
ESPECIALLY INTERESTING SINCE THE
1619 PROJECT HAS COME AROUND.
AND SO, THERES BEEN THIS DEBATE
BETWEEN 1619 AND 1776, AND WHAT
WE ALWAYS SAY ON THE SHOW IS,
TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT THE
SAME TIME.
YOU CAN -- YOU CAN LOOK TO 1776,
AT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT --
THE PROMISES OF 1776 HAVE BEEN
EXPANDED FAR BEYOND WHERE THEY
WERE ORIGINALLY IPNTENDED TO BE
EXPANDED AND YOU CAN LOOK AT
1619 NOT DISREGARD THAT SIMPLY
BECAUSE THERE WAS A MISPLACED
TWEET HERE OR THERE.
I THINK WE HAVE TO GET A LOT
BETTER AT DOING WHAT YOURE
TALKING ABOUT.
TALKING ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT
HAS BEEN MADE BUT ALSO TALK
ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A
LONG WAY TO GO.
AND ASK OURSELVES A QUESTION,
YOU KNOW, I WAS A HISTORY MAJOR.
IVE BEEN READING BOOKS SINCE I
WAS 5 OR 6 YEARS OLD, IVE BEEN
FASCINATED ABOUT HISTORY.
IVE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK
THE SAME QUESTION, WHY DIDNT WE
KNOW MORE ABOUT TULSA UNTIL THE
LAST YEAR?
ITS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO
ASK.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME WITH YOUR
DOCUMENTARY, THATS THE QUESTION
YOURE ASKING HERE.
>> YOU KNOW, THATS RIGHT.
I WANT TO ALSO POINT OUT JUST
LIKE WE CRITICIZED OUR CHILDREN
BECAUSE WE LOVE THEM, I LOVE
THIS COUNTRY.
I LOVE THE PROMISE OF THIS
COUNTRY.
I LOVE WHAT IT HAS AFFORDED ME.
THAT DOESNT MEAN THERES NOT SOMETHING TO CRITICIZE.
SOMETHING TO CRITICIZE.
MY GREAT GRANDCHILDRENFATHER,