
POV
Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed
In 1972, black congresswoman Shirley Chisholm ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination, launching a groundbreaking campaign that united an unlikely coalition of supporters from every walk of life.
Meet Ernest Withers, civil rights photographer, and FBI informant. The Picture Taker reveals the man and motives behind the iconic images.
Phil Bertelsen is an Emmy and two-time Peabody award-winning filmmaker based in New York City. He was Series Producer and Director of the 6-part documentary series Who Killed Malcolm X (Netflix). As a result of the investigative work and new evidence provided in the series, the Manhattan DA’s office is reviewing the decades old assassination case and… Show more
Produced, directed, and wrote A Family Gathering, (Academy Award Nomination) which explored the impact of the WWII Japanese American internment on her family and was broadcast on PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, the BBC, and Star TV, Asia. She produced The Gate of Heavenly Peace, (Peabody Award) which explored the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre; and Morning… Show more
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The vibrant life of Ernest Withers was anything but black and white. Soldier, police officer, civil rights activist, and paid FBI informant. It’s an unlikely resume for an African American photographer in the 1960s, but complex times spawn complicated stories. From his Memphis studio, Withers developed nearly 2 million images that came to illustrate America’s civil rights stories. But perhaps the push and pull of history is best illuminated by Withers’ lesser-known work, decades of secret FBI service uncovered only after his death. From the flashpoint of an American saga, The Picture Taker brings us a tale from in front of, and behind, the camera.
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