As the United States continues to struggle with a legacy of racism as seen through recent police-involved killings and the Black Lives Matters movement, a continued discussion of American history is necessary to provide context to past discriminatory practices, the implications of these practices, and how we as a nation want to move forward.
A Crime on the Bayou explores the arrest of Gary Duncan, a young African-American trying to break up the harassment of two Black students from a group of white students outside a recently desegregated school in Louisiana in 1966. The educational documentary studies the racial injustice of the deep South during this period, the corrupt political machine, and the legacy of groups like the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee (LCDC) in the fight for Civil Rights. The story of Duncan and the fight for justice is told through the use of archival footage, photographs, recordings, and interviews with key individuals in this case.
In trying to de-escalate this situation outside the school, Duncan touched one of the white teenagers on his elbow. This simple act led to a charge of cruelty of a juvenile which was changed to simple assault because the original charge would only apply if Duncan was in a position of authority over the teenager. Instead of admitting fault in the case and at the encouragement of his mother, Duncan decided to fight these charges. An ultimate conviction resulted in a Supreme Court decision in the favor of Duncan and an eventual dismissal of the charges.
Using the case to discuss the larger racial realities for African-Americans living in the deep South in the 1960s, director Nancy Buirski explores the legacy of Democratic political boss Leander Henry Perez and his control of this area of southeastern Louisiana. She studies how people like him used legal means to intimidate and control not only African-Americans but also poor whites and those fighting to change the racist system at that time. Through his work with the LCDC, lawyer Richard Sobol fought for the rights of Duncan in this case and was targeted with a legal system designed for control.
This film is essential viewing for students and library patrons interested in understanding the racist history of the United States, the structures that were in place to control African-Americans, and the work to bring about Civil Rights in this country. Given the timeliness of this subject matter, it is highly recommended for any film collection but has lasting value for those supporting history, political science, African-American studies, Civil Rights, and legal studies. Highly Recommended for Black History Month library programming. Aud: J, H, C, P.