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News Archives

'Fighting for Justice' - New Documentary Chronicling New York City's Role in the Civil Rights Movement - Airs on NYC life

January 15, 2010 - In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, NYC Media, the official TV, radio and online network of New York City, and the NYC Commission on Human Rights partnered to present Fighting for Justice: New York Voices of the Civil Rights Movement. The short documentary profiles two New Yorkers, Esther Cooper Jackson and Clifford Alexander, whose contributions helped to pave the way toward progress for equal justice for African-Americans. It premieres tonight at 8pm on NYC life.

On January 14, NYC Media and NYC Commission on Human Rights also collaborated with the Apollo Theater Education Program to present a free screening of Fighting for Justice at the Apollo Theater followed by a panel. Jonelle Procope, the President of the Apollo Theater welcomed the audience and introduced the film. Following the screening, Katherine Oliver, the president of NYC Media, and Commissioner and Chair of the NYC Commission on Human Rights Patricia Gatling, spoke about the partnership between the agencies that led to Fighting for Justice and its premiere at the Apollo.

Contributing to the panel were Esther Cooper Jackson, one of the co-founders of Freedomways; Clifford L. Alexander, Jr, who served as counsel to President Lyndon B. Johnson during the passage of the Civil Rights legislation; Dr. Clarence Taylor, Professor of History, Black and Hispanic Studies Department, Baruch College and the Graduate Center, CUNY; Dr. Martha Biondi, Associate Professor of African American Studies and History, Northwestern University; and filmmaker Shola Lynch (Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed).

Keith Brown, senior vice president of news and public affairs at BET Networks, moderated the panel. The evening included a rousing performance by the C3 Youth Choir from the Christian Cultural Center (Rev. A. R. Bernard, pastor).

Footage of the panel will soon be available to watch online at www.nyc.gov/media.

On Friday, January 15, Todd Asher, Chief Operating Officer of NYC Media, Commissioner Gatling Gatling, and Clifford Alexander rang the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Fighting for Justice premieres on NYC life on Friday, January 15 at 8pm. The film will also air on Tuesday, January 19 at 9:30pm, Wednesday, January 20 at 3:30pm, Thursday, January 21 at 9pm and Friday, January 22 at 3am. Click here to find NYC life on your local cable station or over the air on Channel 25.1.

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