Dialectics Of Liberation - Stokely Carmichael - Out Takes
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1967
0:52:09
England
In July of 1967, Stokely Carmichael, fresh from the bitter civil rights struggle then taking place in his home country, was invited to attend the Congress on the Dialectics of Liberation and the Demystification of Violence, an international gathering of leftwing activists and intellectuals. Includes footage of Allen Ginsberg, Emmett Grogan, R.D. Laing, David Cooper, Roy Sawh, Obi Egbuna and Michael X.
Audio & visual:
Sound,
Black & White
Closely watched by the police, he gave a fiery address at a Black Power meeting. Speaking under a portrait of Malcolm X, and sitting next to Britain’s notorious Michael X, he exhorted Britain’s blacks to action.
This was at a period when Carmichael was distancing himself from the non-violence of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), now openly accepting violence if that was the only way to effect racial equality and liberation in the Third World.
A little later at the Congress he shared a platform with Allen Ginsburg, Emmet Grogan of the Diggers movement, and anti-psychiatrist RD Laing. Carmichael’s speech provoked numerous challenges from members of his audience. Even before his speeches, he was declared persona non grata by the authorities, and ordered to leave the country.
This is the only record on film of Carmichael’s London visit, one in which he fully deployed his powers of oratory, provoking enthusiastic black support and strong white reaction.
00:19
Title card: Stokely Carmichael, Roundhouse, London, 22nd July 1967. B-roll of Roundhouse, traffic and immediate area. Shot of Dialectics of Liberation fly posters.
00:35
Shot of panel including Allen Ginsberg, R.D. Laing and Emmett Grogan. Stokely Carmichael quips with Ginsberg (inaudible) before his speech. Carmichael introduces themes that his speech will touch on.
02:06
Low angle profile shot of Carmichael and Grogan. Audience applauds.
02:24
Camera cuts to shot of silhouettes that panel cast on drapes. CU of Carmichael and of Ginsberg. Shots of audience. Camera alternates between CU and MS of Carmichael during his speech. CU of audience.
10:00
Carmichael concludes his speech — quoting Brecht’s ‘To Prosterity’ — to audience applause.
10:40
ZI to moderator David Cooper; to CU of Laing, Ginsberg and Carmichael. Camera focuses on a statement from a male audience member.
12:25
Male member of the audience questions Carmichael.
13:15
Female member of the audience makes a statement and directs her questioning towards Carmichael — to which he replies.
17:12
Shots of the panel (with Cooper) and Carmichael taking questions from the audience.
18:06
Audio of Cooper presenting an audience question to the panel — Carmichael answers. 18:56 Grogan answers a question from the audience. ZI to panel — Ginsberg and Carmichael enter a discourse. CU of both.
21:44
Camera pans audience; man makes a provocative statement made towards Carmichael as he nonchalantly cleans his sunglasses.
25:06
ZI to Carmichael shouting at man and ZI to Ginsberg who appears unsettled by their heated exchange.
28:32
ZI to Ginsberg making a statement and ZI to Carmichael continuing his vehement speech.
31:04
Shots of movement in the audience CU of Ginsberg defending Carmichael. Cooper announces end of discussion.
32:05
ZI to adolescent boys talking about Carmichael, giving their controversial and naive opinions to each other on his views and the Black Power movement.
35:33
Title card: Stokely Carmichael Black Power Speech, Roundhouse, London, 18th July 1967. Exterior shot of Roundhouse, camera tilts to event registration and Black Power sign.
35:48
Camera fades to stage with Black Power sign and pictures of Malcolm X mounted behind a table with chairs and microphone.
35:54
WS of Michael X and Carmichael assembling at the table.
36:05
WS of Obi Egbuna speaking in front of panel — Michael X, Carmichael, Roy Sawh and an unknown man. ZI to Egbuna with audience applause. His speech continues with camera in CU.
38:04
Egbuna introduces Carmichael to applause from audience. ZI to CU of Carmichael’s speech.
42:31
CU of Ted Joans in the audience. Various CU shots of other audience members during Carmichael’s speech.
43:02
Camera films from the side of the panel and Carmichael’s speech with cuts to Michael X, audience members and a flag bearing a quote from Mao Tse-tung.
46:00
Camera at low angle, filming Carmichael’s speech in profile. ZI at key moments of speech.
51:00
Camera pans to standing ovation from rest of panel and audience. Carmichael, Sawh and George Ware shake the hands of audience members from stage.
52:03
Camera cuts to empty stage with Black Power sign and pictures of Malcolm X mounted behind table with chairs and microphone.
End of shotlist
Collection
Dialectics Of Liberation
(81)
Collection of mixed media materials relating to the meeting in London of the Symposium on the Dialectics of Liberation and the Demystification of Violence, and subsequent interviews and events.
