Filmmaker dawn porter spoke about her second feature documentary, spies of mississippi, which explores a lesserknown chapter in american civil rights history. The state spies framed civil rights leaders, jailed activists, threatened sympathizers and funded white supremacist organizations with tax dollars. It is offered free to enlighten students and teachers, and to inspire other authors and filmmakers. This book is a really fast read and is definitely geared toward a high school audience. By allowing divergent historical voices to describe their understanding of events as they were unfolding, this new book of narrative history supports, emends, and even complicates such a vision of mississippi s past and present. Author rick bowers has combed through primarysource materials and interviewed surviving activists named in oncesecret files, as well as the writings and oral. A littleknown state agency called the mississippi sovereignty commission.
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from. The film is about a secret state government organization, the mississippi sovereignty commissiona group dedicated to preventing a change in the racist class system in the state. The film tells the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain the mississippi way of life, white. Feb 14, 2014 spies of mississippi reveals in shocking detail the state of mississippi s effort to undermine the civil rights movement using a vast network of spies. The appumentary has been made possible by aarp, pbs and the andrew goodman foundation. A new documentary reveals how the mississippi state government spied on civil rights activists in the 1950s and 1960s. The mississippi state sovereignty commissions role in the civil rights movement, including the integration of the university of mississippi and the trial of medgar evers.
Independent lens spies of mississippi medgar evers widow. A products availability is clearly noted on the product detail page as in stock, advanced sale, release date or special order. What have we learned from the spies of mississippi. The app spies of the mississippi comes from a book by rick bowers, which was made into a pbs documentary. Spies of mississippi, about segregations defenders the. In this excerpt from the independent lens documentary spies of mississippi, we learn about the training civil rights activists from the north went through in ohio for the 1964 summer project, to. Spies of mississippi, about segregations defenders the new. Author rick bowers has combed through primarysource materials and interviewed surviving activists named in oncesecret files. Johnson is quoted as saying in dawn porters documentary realization of rick bowers book on the mississippi state sovereignty commission, an. This is the compelling story of how state spies tried to block voting rights for african americans during the civil rights era of the 1950s and 60s, shedding new light on one of the most momentous periods in american history.
Ocean explorer jacques cousteau is taking his research ship calypso on a voyage up the mississippi river to film a documentary on the grand. Jan 12, 2010 the spies of mississippi is a compelling story of how state spies tried to block voting rights for african americans during the civil rights era. It was first presented in a book by rick bowers, and then in a documentary film b. The spies of mississippi the noninvestigative subject. From pbs in the spring of 1964, the civil rights community is gearing up for mississippi freedom summer, during which hundreds, if not thousands, of mostly white student activists from the north will link up with mostly black freedom workers to accomplish what the mississippi power structure fears the most.
Spies of mississippi explores a secret spy agencys efforts to preserve. Spies of mississippi is a journey into the world of informants, infiltrators, and agent provocateurs in the heart of dixie the film tells the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of. Spies of mississippi premieres on independent lens monday, february 10, 2014 the inside story of the secret statefunded agency that spied on american citizens to maintain segregation san francisco, ca directed by dawn porter, spies of mississippi is the inside story of the mississippi sovereignty commission, a. The spies of mississippi is a compelling story of how state spies tried to block voting rights for african americans during the civil rights era. Thanks to all of you for helping me find these books again.
Students will definitely not get bored reading this since it is full of harrowing stories, spies, murder, and downright awful behavior. It is based on a book entitled spies of mississippi, the true story of the spy network that tried to destroy the civil rights movement by rick bowers, published in 2010 i will add no commentary to this video. Spies of mississippi reveals in shocking detail the state of mississippis effort to undermine the civil rights movement using a vast network of spies. The film has won critical acclaim and numerous awards on the independent film circuit. To understand the cost of the war on women, look to mississippi. The book inspired documentary filmmaker dawn porter, a sundance. Spies of mississippi itvs documentary film funding itvs. The spies of mississippi lived during 1956 and at that time segregation was evolving around the south. A realization of rick bowers 2010 book on the mississippi state sovereignty commission, the film premieres monday on pbs. Mystery books that take place in mississippi the cozy. The true story of the spy network that tried to destroy the civil rights movement. The documentary film spies of mississippi, which aired on pbs on monday, is a grim reminder of the depths that mississippi authorities.
Bowers second book, superman versus the ku klux klan is the story of how superman was used as a weapon against the men of hate in a trailblazing radio series in 1947. Jul 31, 2017 the summer 2018slated great american read is an eightpart tv series that will explore the power of books in american society. Spies of mississippi is a journey into the world of informants, infiltrators, and agent provocateurs in the heart of dixie. It was also adapted into a pbs film and an appumentary essentially an app that allows users to interact with the story on their phones and tablets.
And the sovereignty commission would stop at nothing, even. Spies of mississippi premieres on pbs independent lens on february 10, 2014. Im not sure these books took place in mississippi, but there were at least the three which i read. He is writing a book on cold cases from the civil rights era, called. Season 15 episode 11 55m 17s the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of mississippi to preserve segregation during the 1950s and 60s. Environmental education resources to commemorate earth days 50th anniversary. The pbs film spies of mississippi explores a statesanctioned secret spy agencys efforts to preserve segregation and its links to violence and murder in the civil rights era. Spies of mississippi tells the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of mississippi to preserve segregation during the 1950s and 60s. The appumentary youtube this ipad app, built by joe zeff design, is based on the book by rick bowers, and the resulting documentary film by dawn porter. This excerpt from the independent lens documentary spies of mississippi looks at the people involved in the movement who ended up on the other side, who ended up working against the movement. The film, spies of mississippi, also looks at how some of those reports. Enter the chilling world of anticivil rights espionage. In this era, sovereignty was code for segregation, and the commission was granted extraordinary powers to investigate private citizens and organizations.
Filmmaker dawn porter spoke with independent lens about spies of mississippi, which explores a lesserknown chapter in american civil rights history. Spies of mississippi ebook by rick bowers rakuten kobo. And the sovereignty commission would stop at nothing, even murder, to retain the mississippi way of life. The app is filled with primary resources that tell the story of the mississippi state sovereignty commission, which was founded in 1956 to preserve segregation and spy on the civil rights movement. While films about the civil rights era of the 1950s and 60s are not uncommon, one like this one sure are.
Read spies of mississippi the true story of the spy network that tried to destroy the civil rights movement by rick bowers available from rakuten kobo. Spies of mississippi was developed into a documentary by director and producer dawn m. The film tells the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain the mississippi way of life, white supremacy, during. In this video extra from the independent lens documentary spies of mississippi, journalist jerry mitchell expands on how he discovered the mississippi state sovereignty commissions secret. The year 1956 saw the creation of the mississippi state sovereignty commission, a special agency charged with preserving the right of the state to govern itself without interference from the federal government or private pressure groups. Documentary takes a look at the states espionage during the civil rights movement february 10, 2014 dr.
Spies of mississippi reveals in shocking detail the state of mississippi s effort to undermine the civil rights movement using a vast network of spies. The spies of mississippi is a book about agency of people working together to stop racial segregation the spies are very caring and are willing to help out the black colored towns of the segregated deep south of america. The film, an installment of independent lens, monday night on pbs stations, traces the evolution of the mississippi state sovereignty. Pbs independent lens spies of mississippi tells the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain white supremacy. Independent lens spies of mississippi training for three things pbs spies of mississippi. The documentary film spies of mississippi, which aired on pbs on monday, is a grim reminder of the depths that mississippi authorities plumbed in their efforts to subvert the civil rights movement. In accordance with the directives of government and health authorities we have reduced capacity in. The history of the secret spy agency created by the state government in mississippi. The anticivil rights organization was hidden in plain sight in an unassuming office in the mississippi state capitol. Mississippi spies sought to uphold segregation one aspect of the civil rights movement that has been largely unknown by many is the role of mississippi s sovereignty commission, a state funded. Spies of mississippi recently aired on the pbs independent lens series in february 2014. Recently, pbs aired a documentary, spies of mississippi, which documented a massive spying operation engaged in by the state of mississippi in an effort to discredit the civil rights movement in th.
The spies of mississippi is a compelling story of how state spies tried to block voting rights for african americans dur. Spies of mississippi, his first book, was named a finalist for the 2011 yalsa award for excellent nonfiction for young adults. Spies speaks in a calm voice and acknowledges that the anticivil rights movement in mississippi ran far deeper than one government agency. The spies of mississippi is an independent lens documentary that appeared on pbs, a public television channel in february, 2014. The show will culminate with a list of the top 10 books ever written. In 1902 nellie jackson, an africanamerican woman born into poverty in possum corner, miss. Pbs to unveil americas favorite books in new tv series. Pbs documentary retraces fatal flood of 1927 flood victims gather on the banks of the mississippi. Martin luther king displays pictures in 1964 of three civil rights workers who were slain in mississippi. Still, its a somber reminder of how much the movement. Spies of mississippi spying on the civil rights movement. Butch cassidy and the sundance kid and spies of mississippi. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company.
The flood of 1927 left 246 people dead and 700,000 displaced. This book sheds new light on one of the most momentous periods in american history. Cousteau filming mississippi river documentary upi archives. Rick bowers is an american author of two nonfiction books published by national geographic. To many outsiders, mississippi s controversial history continues to resonate in the present. The true story of the spy network that tried to destroy the civil rights movement by rick bowers 453 ratings, 3. I seem to remember mobile homes trailor park in at least one of the books.
Feb 08, 2014 in this video extra from the independent lens documentary spies of mississippi, journalist jerry mitchell expands on how he discovered the mississippi state sovereignty commissions secret. The mississippi state sovereignty commission evolved from a predominantly public relations agency to a fullfledged spy operation, spying on over 87,000 americans over the course of a decade. The true story of the spy network that tried to destroy the civil rights movement 9781426305955. Spies of mississippi 2014 tvpg 53min documentary 10 february 2014 usa spies of mississippi tells the story of a secret spy agency formed by the state of mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain white supremacy. Yoruba richen is a documentary filmmaker whose work has been featured on pbs, new york times op doc, frontline digital, new york magazines website the cut, the atlantic and field of vision.
The film chronicles the role of the mississippi state sovereignty commission, a secret, statefunded agency established by the mississippi legislature in 1956. Feb 10, 2014 spies of mississippi, on pbs, traces the evolution of the states sovereignty commission from a propaganda outlet into a spy network aimed at stopping integration. Independent lens spies of mississippi tv episode 2014 imdb. Guide to freedom was broadcast on the smithsonian channel in. They were either those who did not think it could possibly win, while some just could not believe the government would be involved in anything illegal. Most items on our site are in stock and ready to ship. With margaret black, rick bowers, kenneth dean, ralph eubanks. Season 15 episode 11 48s this excerpt from the independent lens documentary spies of mississippi looks at the people. Spies of mississippi is an important story about democracy. Spies of mississippi 2014 filmmaker dawn porter explores the history of the secret spy agency created by the state government in mississippi to preserve segregation and maintain white supremacy. It was first presented in a book by rick bowers, and then in a documentary film by dawn porter.