Is Racism still alive and well in St. Augustine?
A new documentary looks at Florida in 1964 and now
Adam Lowe
Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: Entertainment
Imagine being kicked out of a church, beaten, spat upon, mocked and called names, all because of the color of your skin. Most won't remember the events of the year 1964 in a place called St. Augustine, Florida because most of us weren't alive then, but there are a few who will remember the atrocious things that happened there. Sadly, through the decades that have passed, many of these individuals' stories have faded - until now.
When amateur filmmaker Jeremy Dean learned of these stories, it became his goal to share them with the world. After six years of working on the film, "Dare Not Walk Alone" is finally available for viewing. This is a film documenting some of the never before heard stories of the terrible racism driven events that occurred in St. Augustine in 1964. Dean says that this film "marries the bloodshed of the Civil Rights movement with the standards and morals of today."
The film is spliced with interviews from victims of this incomprehensible racism from the past as well as present day interviews with those same victims to see how times have changed, if they have changed at all. Some images throughout the film are disturbing live footage clips of the devastation that happened in Florida. The film states that a "non-violent campaign in this city helped to make the Civil Rights movement a possibility."
Speaking about how things have changed since 1964, one man in the film states with the passionate words, "We are still at war!" Clearly, this man has experienced so much pain and struggle in these racial trials, but perhaps seeing his frustration and rightful anger will make us do something about it. I've heard it said that knowing is half the battle - well, now we know.
To know more about this riveting and heart-wrenching documentary, and to look up showtimes and places, visit www.DareNotWalkAlone.com. From there, you can read more about the film and read ways to help out in this filmmaker's desire to help stop the hate. Ernest Hemingway once said, "Either write something worth reading or DO something worth writing." So, perhaps if you can't write about this - do something about it instead.
When amateur filmmaker Jeremy Dean learned of these stories, it became his goal to share them with the world. After six years of working on the film, "Dare Not Walk Alone" is finally available for viewing. This is a film documenting some of the never before heard stories of the terrible racism driven events that occurred in St. Augustine in 1964. Dean says that this film "marries the bloodshed of the Civil Rights movement with the standards and morals of today."
The film is spliced with interviews from victims of this incomprehensible racism from the past as well as present day interviews with those same victims to see how times have changed, if they have changed at all. Some images throughout the film are disturbing live footage clips of the devastation that happened in Florida. The film states that a "non-violent campaign in this city helped to make the Civil Rights movement a possibility."
Speaking about how things have changed since 1964, one man in the film states with the passionate words, "We are still at war!" Clearly, this man has experienced so much pain and struggle in these racial trials, but perhaps seeing his frustration and rightful anger will make us do something about it. I've heard it said that knowing is half the battle - well, now we know.
To know more about this riveting and heart-wrenching documentary, and to look up showtimes and places, visit www.DareNotWalkAlone.com. From there, you can read more about the film and read ways to help out in this filmmaker's desire to help stop the hate. Ernest Hemingway once said, "Either write something worth reading or DO something worth writing." So, perhaps if you can't write about this - do something about it instead.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
David Nolan
posted 4/29/08 @ 7:50 PM PST
I am glad to see the St. Augustine story getting national circulation. It was the most important chapter of the civil rights movement that most people have never heard of, and it's a shame, because those that Martin Luther King called "the heroes of St. (Continued…)
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