The Latest Episode of Our Docu-Series
The Peekskill Riots
Episode Three: “Up on the Hillside, Down in the Hollow”
On August 27th, 1949, a Paul Robeson concert was violently attacked outside Peekskill, NY. The concert was for the benefit of the Civil Rights Congress, and advertised to the Jewish and Black working-class, summer residents in the Hudson Valley. The Peekskill Evening Star and local veteran's groups - harboring disdain towards Robeson and the summer residents - organized a protest parade to stop the concert from taking place. What transpired was a horrific riot, in which innocent men, women, and children hoping to attend Paul Robeson's concert were attacked. Rocks, bottles, and other projectiles were thrown, while cars were turned over with passengers inside. All of this occurred under the wicked light of a burning cross, as years of bubbling hatred in Peekskill, NY finally burst.
This third episode of a 5-part docu-series focuses on the first of the two Peekskill Riots and the unprecedented level of violence that turned Peekskill from a small riverside city, into the center of national controversy.
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The Peekskill Riots
The Peekskill Riots Ep. 1:
"The Mighty Oak in the Forest"
The Story of Paul Robeson
On August 27 and September 4th, 1949, violence broke out at two concerts held outside Peekskill, NY, headlined by black singer, actor, and activist Paul Robeson. Citizens of Peekskill, galvanized by racist and anti-Semitic sentiments and disdain for Robeson’s left-wing views and campaign for civil rights, started two riots that resulted in hundreds of injuries, made national news, and unofficially marked the beginning of the McCarthy era, which would nearly erase Robeson from the public consciousness. Who was he? What did he do? What did he stand for? These questions must be answered in order to understand what brought him to Peekskill.
This first episode of a 5-part docu-series serves not only as an introduction to the story of the concerts, but also introduces the headlining performer, Paul Robeson, the first and last casualty of The Peekskill Riots.
The Peekskill Riots Ep. 2:
"The Friendly Town By The River"
The Duality of Peekskill
To understand Peekskill during the Riots, we must first understand the forgotten past of the “Friendly Town” by the River. The influence of the Ku Klux Klan on Peekskill in the early 20th century shaped the region for decades, striking terror into the hearts of African Americans, Catholics, and Jewish people. Yet Peekskill was also home to a progressive movement of summer colonies, scattered throughout the region. Made up predominantly of working-class Jewish families and influenced by a diverse assortment of leftist ideologies, their goals were to create small-scale, utopian communities in the countryside of the Hudson Valley. Their presence was considered a threat to the conservative culture of Peekskill.
This second episode of a 5-part docu-series presents the duality of Peekskill’s long-lost history to contextualize the atmosphere of hate and those who would eventually become victim to it.
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The Peekskill Riots
Series Teaser
Episode One Trailer
Episode One Announcement
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