Negroes with Guns: Rob Williams and Black Power

Negroes with Guns was featured in the inaugural season of ITVS’s landmark Community Cinema program, which produced community outreach screenings in 11 markets during January 2006. All screenings were conducted between 10 and 60 days prior to the film’s scheduled national broadcast on Independent Lens and focused on civil rights and civil rights history, race relations, discrimination, and related community issues. Negroes with Guns screenings welcomed more than 1500 community members to 16 events, which included special guest speakers and panel discussions with local experts. ITVS produced companion discussion guides to support the screenings and for use by viewers at home; more than 2,000 were downloaded or distributed. More than 50 community-based and national organizations partnered with ITVS to engage audiences with this film and the issues it raises. Negroes with Guns screenings catalyzed important conversations about this important aspect of the civil rights movement to large audiences nationwide.