The Black American Fight for Freedom – Now streaming on BBC Select

In America, if you are Black, you are five times more likely to go to prison than if you’re white and the typical white family has eight times the wealth of the typical Black family. 50 years on from the promise of equality and the Civil Rights Act, The Black American Fight for Freedom examines key moments where America had the chance to become more equal and questions why that didn’t happen. Through compelling interviews with those at the forefront of the struggle for a fair system in three crucial areas – education, housing, and criminal justice – The Black American Fight for Freedom explores the key court cases, Supreme Court rulings, and laws that failed to bridge the gap. This powerful film gives us the shocking context to the anger felt by the millions of people who took to the streets during the Black Lives Matter protests. The movement was not just calling for an end to police brutality, but was asking for something that had been pledged 50 years ago; racial equality.