American Revolution 2

This 1969 documentary looks at a highly unlikely alliance—formed in the aftermath of the bloody demonstrations during Chicago's 1968 Democratic National Convention—between two disparate groups that should have been lethal enemies: the Black Panthers and the Confederate flag-wearing Young Patriots, who found common ground in their respective states of political and economic marginalization. Rather than divide over race, the two organizations joined forces in pressuring Chicago's city government on the issues of prejudice and injustice. Viewed today, filmmakers Howard Alk and Mike Gray's black-and-white filmed American Revolution 2 serves up a stunning reminder of how much progress has been made in urban politics in the course of a generation. The Black Panthers, who talk about violent struggle while posing with guns, represented the less-than-genteel face of the civil rights era (a side most people would rather forget). Equally disturbing was the plight of the Young Patriots, primarily poor whites from Appalachia who were literally dismissed by Chicago's power brokers as communist dupes for daring to agitate for social equality in their poor neighborhoods. The film's harsh cinematography adds to the raw emotions brilliantly captured in this tough and jolting history lesson. DVD extras include the 2007 documentary short “Riots to Revolution” by Gray. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)