by Kevin J. Williams
Product Description
"Fear of a Black Republican" begins with the simple question: Does the Republican Party really want more African Americans? Independent filmmaker Kevin J. Williams takes a nonpartisan journey over four years and two presidential elections to find out why there are so few black Republicans and what that means for the future of the two-party political system in America.
From the Civil War to the Great Depression, the GOP was the party for many African Americans, but today, barely 10 percent of African Americans consider themselves to be Republican, and urban areas are no longer considered competitive parts of America's election map. Beginning in his hometown, Williams speaks with both Democrats and Republicans as he takes a personal and humorous look at his own Republican Party's efforts in urban areas versus the suburbs, the Democratic Party's success in retaining the African American vote, the seeming phenomenon of black Republicans and what this all means for America. "Fear of a Black Republican" gives audiences of all demographics and political persuasions a groundbreaking and moving view of American politics unlike any they have ever seen - and one which they'll never forget.
In "Fear of a Black Republican," Williams speaks with scholars such as Professor Cornel West and retired Professor Howard Taylor of Princeton University; former presidential candidates Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Jim Gilmore and John McCain; political leaders like former Maryland Lt. Gov. and former RNC Chairman Michael Steele and previous Chairman Ken Mehlman; former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and former Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, former president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; conservative thinkers such as Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist and Ann Coulter; and commentators Tavis Smiley and Michelle Malkin, among many others. Also interviewed is the first and last black Republican senator popularly elected since Reconstruction, former Sen. Edward Brooke of Massachusetts. Rep. Maxine Waters, President Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney also appear in "Fear of a Black Republican." In addition, the film includes very rarely seen archival footage of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., former President Richard M. Nixon and the great baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson.
Editorial Reviews
"It's a strong first documentary for Williams, and his passion shows as he and his crew doggedly pursue their subjects, sweeping viewers into the events he captures. The film establishes the history of black voters, pointing out the key events that transformed black America from a solidly Republican voting block to a solidly Democratic one." - Breitbart.com
"Beginning in his hometown of Trenton, NJ, independent filmmaker Kevin Williams takes a non-partisan journey over four years, two Presidential Elections and eleven states to find out if the Two-Party Political system in Urban America may be failing his city and the country. In taking a self-critical look at his own Republican Party, Williams focuses his camera on the GOP's efforts in the African-American community and examines the history and lives of Black Republicans; the GOP's campaign strategy in urban areas versus the suburbs; media perceptions of Black Republicans; Republican Party efforts to recruit African-Americans; Democratic Party efforts and success in retaining the African-American vote; what both parties are doing today and what it means to be a 'Black Republican.'" - WCHB News, Detroit
"Whether it's up to white Republicans or jaded black Democrats looking for an alternative to make the first overture, Fear of a Black Republican might serve as a great conversation breaker to encourage both camps to bury the hatchet and to give each other serious consideration as a viable political partner." - Kam Williams, BlackNews.com
"The film traces the party's history with African American voters, who favored it when it was the party of Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery. It also discusses the party's more recent history, including the 'Southern strategy,' in which the party exploited racial angst of white working-class voters." - Vanessa Williams, The Washington Post
Director's Statement:
"Before I started shooting, I was just a voter wondering why things weren't getting better after each election. Picking up my camera changed everything for me. My intention with this film is to find out if our political system supports the decaying of Urban America, what that means and what if anything can be done about it. Journeying across the country and spending time with an important, but misunderstood segment of our society - Black Republicans, revealed a reality and an experience few will ever see. As race, politics, human nature and history all clash in this film, I know that as the Director, I am only opening the book on this subject matter and its implications for America." - Kevin J. Williams, Director
Product Details
- Actors: Michael Steele, Mitt Romney, Tavis Smiley, Christine Todd Whitman, Cornel West
- Director: Kevin J. Williams
- Format: NTSC, Color
- Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Rated: NR (Not Rated)
- Studio: Shamrock Stine Productions LLC
- ASIN: B0093OQE36
- Run Time: 111 minutes
