civil-rights-movement

Ken Burns' latest 4-hour gem 'Jackie Robinson' aired in two parts on PBS Monday and Tuesday night and gave us all the feels. The acclaimed filmmaker has had his fair share of stellar documentaries and has made an indelible mark on the film world (if you've ever seen a documentary where the camera zooms in and out of or pans across a photo, that's known as the Ken Burns effect), but for some, this was some of his best work. There was so much about Jackie Robinson's post baseball life that a large percentage of us didn't know, and this film gave us all a glimpse into who Jackie was as a man outside of his baseball accolades. Check out the thoughts/emotions/lessons we all gained from watching 'Jackie Robinson'. 1. From the very beginning, Jackie's wife Rachel won our hearts and stole the show. At this point I just want a doc about Rachel Robinson. She held it down. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Astasia Williams (@AstasiaWillTV) April 12, 2016 Look, I'm this close to erecting a statue of Rachel Robinson in my front yard. She is all the awesome. #JackieRobinsonPBS — One Chele (@OneChele) April 12, 2016 2. Not only because she was beautiful, Rachel Robinson is a national treasure. One of the best things about #JackieRobinsonPBS is that we get to see that. — profloumoore (@loumoore12) April 12, 2016 3. But also because of the love she obviously felt for Jackie. 4. In fact, their entire relationship was inspiring. Yep, Rachel Robinson is giving a clinic on how a woman should be treated. And I'm paying attention! ✨💕 #JackieRobinsonPBS 👦🏾⚾️ — Chantell Monique (@31pottergirl) April 12, 2016 The partnership. The strong bond between Rachel and Jackie Robinson. BEAUTIFUL. INSPIRATION. #JackieRobinsonPBS ❤️❤️ — Lakisha May (@kisha_may) April 12, 2016 5. Jackie was an all-around athlete, earning varsity letters in baseball, football, basketball, AND track. this footage of #jackierobinson playing football at ucla >>> — El Flaco (@bomani_jones) April 12, 2016 Pause Jackie Robinson was fine too. — A. Incognito (@AshVille34) April 12, 2016 6. POTUS & FLOTUS made a surprise appearance. Can we PLEASE get more First Couple interviews?! #JackieRobinsonPBS — Darius M. Thigpen (@Thig08) April 12, 2016 7. And they reminded us that behind every good man is a great woman. ❤️ @POTUS and @FLOTUS's reflections on the marriage of Jackie and Rachel Robinson on #JackieRobinsonPBS. pic.twitter.com/6NXYrGkrGd — #becauseofthemwecan (@Becauseofthem) April 12, 2016 Love the parallel of Rachel Robinson & Michelle Obama as their husbands biggest asset & confidant. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Sweet Tee Jones (@msteejo1) April 12, 2016 8. Jackie's brother, Mack Robinson, won the silver medal in the 1936 Olympics, losing to Jesse Owens. Also, I knew Mac Robinson went from hero athlete to street sweeper, but he was ouchea chasing down JESSE OWENS? #GoBucks #JackieRobinsonPBS — Darius M. Thigpen (@Thig08) April 12, 2016 9. Then when Mack came back home the only job he could get was sweeping the streets. Man won silver in the Olympics just to come back and sweep streets. #JackieRobinsonPBS — A. Incognito (@AshVille34) April 12, 2016 10. But he did it with his Olympic jacket on! "He would wear his Olympic jacket while he cleaned the streets." That's right, Mack! Remind 'em what you're capable of! #JackieRobinsonPBS — Jenae Ivy (@justwrite115) April 12, 2016 Pause Harry Belafonte was fine too. #JackieRobinsonPBS — A. Incognito (@AshVille34) April 12, 2016 11. Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson were bros, and Joe even made a phone call to help get Jackie into Officer Candidate School in the Armed Forces. 12. He was arrested and court-martialed during training in the Army for refusing to move to the back of a segregated bus and was eventually acquitted of the charges, receiving an honorable discharge. He signed with MLB soon after, becoming the first Black man to do so. 13. Jackie reluctantly testified against Paul Robeson to the HUAC when they suspected Robeson of communism. "It's always been a strategy to use one Black person against another to drive a wedge in the community." #JackieRobinsonPBS — Cecily Music (@CecilyAlexa) April 13, 2016 This situation between Jackie Robinson & Paul Robeson...every last bit of it is just sad to ponder man. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Christopher Smith (@infinitewords14) April 13, 2016 14. By the way, Jackie Robinson didn't take no mess. This situation between Jackie Robinson & Paul Robeson...every last bit of it is just sad to ponder man. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Christopher Smith (@infinitewords14) April 13, 2016 15. And neither did Rachel. When Jackie objected to her joining a nursing program, she returned her engagement ring back to him through the mail so he wouldn't think he could control her. Rachel Robinson was not to be played with, she sent that ring right on back."He was not going to tell me what to do."LOL #JackieRobinsonPBS — One Chele (@OneChele) April 12, 2016 Pause @ImKeithDavid could narrate the google search results, and it would be compelling. #JackieRobinsonPBS — DM (@dereyckM) April 12, 2016 16. Eventually, their engagement was back on, and it took Rachel one year to pay off her wedding dress she had on layaway at Saks Fifth Avenue. 17. Jackie and Rachel spent their honeymoon fighting discrimination while traveling to spring training, but Jackie's mother made sure she provided them with a shoebox of fried chicken. 18. New York mayor Fiorella LaGuardia was a progressive Republican who pushed for integration in baseball. Mayor #Laguardia began pressuring baseball clubs to integrate, even after a study he commissioned dismissed black players #JackieRobinsonPBS — complexitiiiiiiiiii. (@complexitiiiiii) April 12, 2016 19. At the end of his first season, Robinson was named the Rookie of the Year and was named the NL MVP just two years later in 1949. 20. He was diagnosed with diabetes at 33. Age 33, diabetes, & a deteriorating heart. That's what stress can do to a beautiful black man. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Vera Truly Vera (@VeraTrulyVera) April 13, 2016 21. Eventually, people began to resent Jackie's outspokenness in the league. "Reporters urged him to be a player, not a crusader." #JackieRobinsonPBS — Cecily Music (@CecilyAlexa) April 13, 2016 22. And he slammed the Negro Leagues. Wow he bashed the negro leagues #JackieRobinsonPBS — Fannie Lou taught me (@KeshRue) April 13, 2016 23. The seven-decade story about Pee Wee Reese embracing Jackie Robinson is false. "Today it's remembered in statutes & children books...but I don't think it happened." That writer is REAL! #JackieRobinsonPBS 😂😂😩👌🏽 — Jenae Ivy (@justwrite115) April 12, 2016 Bloop! Dude shut down that "great white man" myth quick as hell. Thank you! #JackieRobinsonPBS — POUNDCAKE (@AlwaysBeWrite) April 12, 2016 24. Rachel experienced subtle racism while trying to buy a house. So Jackie was good enough to play baseball on the field, but not good enough to live in "their" neighborhoods. Horrible! #JackieRobinsonPBS — Jackie Ebule M.A. (@JackieEbule) April 13, 2016 Overt racism in the south easier to understand and fight than subtle racism in the north - Rachel Robinson #JackieRobinsonPBS — Jesse Dean (@jesse_cares) April 13, 2016 25. So the Robinson family had to move in with Carly Simon's family for a while. I did not know there was a Carly Simon + Jackie Robinson connection #JackieRobinsonPBS — tammy_K (@tammy_k) April 13, 2016 Wow, Carly Simon's family played a role in taking a stand against bigotry. Bravo! #JackieRobinsonPBS — Sarah Hearn (@PositiveGospel) April 13, 2016 Pause You never steal the base that you left. You steal the next one. -Jackie Robinson #JackieRobinsonPBS MESSAGE! — Natasha (@1NatashaStevens) April 13, 2016 26. Of course there's the moment when Jackie stole home in the 1955 World Series for the 19th time, giving the Brooklyn Dodgers the push to finally take the win that year. Stealing home once is incredible. Doing it 19 times is otherworldly. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Brian Fleurantin (@BrFleurantin) April 13, 2016 Ok. Jackie stole home 19(!!!!) times? Bro, I was happy to go home on a wild pitch. 19 times?! Man! #JackieRobinsonPBS — Darius M. Thigpen (@Thig08) April 13, 2016 27. But the stress of Jackie's baseball career (including death threats) aged him tremendously. Look at how Jackie aged.Wow. #JackieRobinsonPBS — One Chele (@OneChele) April 13, 2016 Imagine getting death threats n you have 2 focus on playing baseball? That's wild #jackierobinsonpbs — Luther No Vandross (@MusiQ_is_myLady) April 13, 2016 28. The Dodgers wanted Jackie out, and he got traded to the Giants. You put a man & his family through hell for a decade and accuse him of "ingratitude." #JackieRobinsonPBS — The Kurved Krusader (@KlarenceKarter) April 13, 2016 How can you trade Jackie Robinson? #JackieRobinsonPBS — Kirven Tillis (@KirvenTillis) April 13, 2016 29. After the Major League's, he helped found and direct a Black bank in Harlem called the Freedom National Bank and became VP of Chock full o'Nuts. #JackieRobinsonPBS was our shinning hope. Freedom National Bank in Do or Die and in the Village of Harlem. He believed in Black Power. — Dwayne A. Mack Ph.D. (@mfcbook) April 13, 2016 30. At first, he supported Nixon and was weary of Kennedy's stance on civil rights, but he backed Kennedy in the end. Nixon refused to call for MLK so #JackieRobinsonPBS backed out and reached to the Kennedy family. I had no idea! — Lucky (@mosaicgraffiti) April 13, 2016 This is the part of #JackieRobinsonPBS where we remember how tepid, at best, JFK was on civil rights in 1960. — Curtis Harris (@curtismharris) April 13, 2016 Jackie had relationship with Nixon. Blacks were on Nixon side cuz of JFK weak stance on civil rights. #JackieRobinsonPBS — BlackDontCrack (@carlab73) April 13, 2016 31. He was awarded the NAACP's highest honor, the Spingarn Medal. NAACP awarded him the highest honor. He also raised money and encouraged folks to vote. #JackieRobinsonPBS — The Kurved Krusader (@KlarenceKarter) April 13, 2016 32. And was inducted into MLB's Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. Pause. BTW, LOVING the use of jazz music in the background of #JackieRobinsonPBS. — Robert Greene II (@robgreeneII) April 13, 2016 33. Jackie struggled with the militancy of the 1960's. Kinda sad how the old school dudes like Jackie and Jesse Owens got passed up and pushed aside in the aggressive late 60s #JackieRobinsonPBS — Ric Piper (@MrGChristopher) April 13, 2016 Damn, late 60's came crashing down on Jackie. Ironic considering what Robinson had to put up with in the Beginning. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Robert Brian L. West (@BigBWest) April 13, 2016 34. During the 1964 election, the nomination of Barry Goldwater as the candidate for the GOP changed everything and showed us that not much has changed. The GOP nominated Barry Goldwater and never looked back. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Keith White (@keethers) April 13, 2016 Unfortunate how history repeats itself. Sounds like a #trumprally. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Thickie Smalls (@TheRealMzMack) April 13, 2016 It's crazy how life repeats itself.. Jackie Robinson dealing with the same GOP problems we're dealing with now #JackieRobinsonPBS — Zeezy (@ZeezyDoesIt) April 13, 2016 35. His eldest son, Jackie Robinson, Jr., went to Vietnam as a teenager, but when he came back he suffered from a drug addiction. Jackie Jr. and his father also had a strained relationship. oh no... jackie junior went to vietnam... became addicted to drugs... *sigh*#JackieRobinsonPBS — #chairlift4amj ♿️ (@AmandaMichelle) April 13, 2016 Man this father son relationship is deeeeepp! #JackieRobinsonPBS — Natasha (@1NatashaStevens) April 13, 2016 36. Jackie, Jr. went to rehab and got sober, reconnected with his father, but died in a car accident shortly afterwards at age 24. Jack Jr's death, so young, after all he overcame. What a loss. #JackieRobinsonPBS — Edana Walker (@RedSaid) April 13, 2016 37. One year later, Jackie's health deteriorated, and he died in his wife's arms at 53. There were 500 mourners an hour at his funeral to pay their respects. like... how do you... your son recovers from drug abuse & dies in a car crash. then your hubby collapses in your arms... #JackieRobinsonPBS — #chairlift4amj ♿️ (@AmandaMichelle) April 13, 2016 He ran toward her said I love you and collapsed. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 #jackierobinsonpbs — ICEEKJUSTICE (@Takiyah2Takiyah) April 13, 2016 38. Jackie Robinson was much more than a baseball player. Such a nuanced and critical take on Jackie Robinson's life and the indignities he had to endure 😔#JackieRobinsonPBS — Rumnique Nannar (@rotikapdarum) April 13, 2016 39. And his story is one we should all learn. Grandson of a slave. Son of a sharecropper. Forever a champion. He fought the good fight. ✊🏾💯#JackieRobinsonPBS — Coach P (@mrcoachp) April 13, 2016 I can't wait to use #JackieRobinsonPBS as a tool for teaching students down the road. Good documentary. — Robert Greene II (@robgreeneII) April 13, 2016 Jackie Robinson was truly an amazing man. I can appreciate him so much more after this beautifully crafted piece. #jackierobinsonpbs — Cindy (@Steadyspirit) April 13, 2016 40. Because Jackie Robinson kept it real. "A life is not important except the impact it has on other lives" #JackieRobinsonPBS epitaph — Zee Bee (@simplyroses92) April 13, 2016 Most white people have their heads in the sand concerning race relations.-JR#JackieRobinsonPBS #preaching — BlackDontCrack (@carlab73) April 13, 2016 41. He fought for his people. "If I had a room jammed with trophies, awards and citations, and a child of mine came into that room and asked what I had done in defense of black people and decent whites fighting for freedom, and I had to tell that child that I had kept quiet, that I had been timid, I would have to mark myself a total failure at the whole business of living." ~Jackie Robinson 42. And inspired us all. PBS has delivered excellent content on Black culture with the recent documentaries about Misty Copeland and the Black Panther Party. Now we can add 'Jackie Robinson' to the list. The entire film is chock full o'quotes and information about the legend a lot of us may not have known that much about. Information that--for many of us--was heart-wrenching. If you didn't get a chance to watch the documentary live, you can check it out here until 4/26/16. What did you think of #JackieRobinsonPBS? What new things did you learn about the first Black man to play Major League Baseball? READ NEXT: President Obama will deliver 2016 commencement address at Howard...

They say the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, and soul musician Aaron Abernathy — affectionately known as Ab — has proven this statement to be true with the coupled audio and visual release of “Now A Days.” It's a politically-charged song full of soul and produced, written and performed by Ab, who happens to be the grandnephew of the featured Civil Rights Leader Ralph David Abernathy. The single is a bass driven, mid-tempo selection that focuses on the fact that 51 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. and best friend Ralph David Abernathy worked diligently with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to pass the Civil Rights Act, there is still much more work to be done. The song delves into the mindset of a young black man describing the events his people and community are facing in modern times. If you close your eyes and listen, you might even forget what year you're currently in. From 1964 to 2016, some storylines still remain the same. Reminiscent of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On,” Abernathy’s strong vocal lead and poignant lyricism demands us to take a look at the inequalities and prejudices that still exist. As one begins to get lost in the melodic tone of Aaron Abernathy’s voice, one reminiscent of a southern preacher unexpectedly cuts through like running water and calms the fire in the song. Ralph David Abernathy’s voice balances the tune. He reminds us that poverty existed then and still exists today. He reminds us that it was difficult to survive then and for many it is difficult to survive now. His voice reminds us that there was a need for a Civil Rights Movement then and the need still remains. Both Ab and Ralph David Abernathy explore the idea that our youth must be encouraged to understand that, regardless of circumstances, they are valued. The youth must be told that the world does not define them. They must love and define themselves. With racial tension at an all-time high for this generation, Ab had this to say about the creation of “Now A Days”: “My uncle was an orator and leader who spoke for African Americans of his time. He was called to do so and I felt the same about being called to write this record for African Americans of my time. Nina Simone once said: ‘I choose to reflect the times and situations in which I find myself. That to me is my duty. An artist’s duty is to reflect the times! How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?’ I am an artist and I’m called to reflect just that. This is my charge and I accept! "Now A Days" is that reflection.” Ralph David Abernathy sought to end segregation, discrimination and unequal protection under the law during the Civil Rights era. Aaron Abernathy puts to pen and music the realities of black America during the Black Lives Matter movement. The inclusion of Ralph David Abernathy in the “Now A Days” single allows this generation to see that they are still connected to a past generation. The legacy continues. You can check out the full-length song here and the creative visual accompaniment here "Now A Days" is available for free download at www.aaronabernathy.com. Share this song on Facebook and Twitter below! READ NEXT: 29 Songs that will bring out your inner civil rights leader Tia is a native Baltimorean who bleeds Old Bay Seasoning and Howard U Blue. Some weird mix of Bohemian flower child and gangster rapper. Her spirit animal is Mos Def.  Hobby: telling people how to get their lives together while attempting to practice what she preaches. Freelance film and TV producer, accountability coach, project consultant and writer. Just a girl trying to change the world, one social media outlet at a time. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and...