Directed by Greta Schiller and Andrea Weiss • Documentary • 2023 • 74 minutes
THE FIVE DEMANDS is a riveting story about the student strike that changed the face of higher education forever. In April 1969, a small group of Black and Puerto Rican students shut down the City College of New York, an elite public university located in the heart of Harlem. Fueled by the revolutionary fervor sweeping the nation, the strike soon turned into an uprising, leading to the extended occupation of the campus, classes being canceled, students being arrested, and the resignation of the college president.
Through archival footage and modern-day interviews, we follow the students’ struggle against the institutional racism that, for over a century, had shut out people of color from this and other public universities. The Five Demands revisits the untold story of this explosive student takeover, and proves that a handful of ordinary citizens can band together to take action and effect meaningful change.
“Recommended! The film has a broader appeal that would likely be of interest to many, especially those living in New York City.” —Educational Media Reviews Online
Up Next in Democracy in America
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Frontrunners
Directed by Caroline Suh • Documentary • 2008 • 83 minutes
Frontrunners is a smart and funny political documentary that follows the student council presdiential campaign at one of the country's most prestigious public high schools: Stuyvesant High School in New York City. Follow four charming an...
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Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on ...
Directed by Deb Ellis and Denis Mueller • Documentary • With Matt Damon • 2010 • 78 minutes
This acclaimed film looks at the amazing life of the renowned historian, activist and author. Following his early days as a shipyard labor organizer and bombardier in World War II, Howard Zinn became an a...
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Kent State: The Day the War Came Home
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This documentary tells the story and haunting legacy of the May 4, 1970 Kent State shootings. The unforgettable photograph of Mary Vecchio poised in anguish over the body of a slain student. The fervor of the wounded student activist sti...
