American revolutionary has been the most challenging film ive made in my short career and also the most rewarding. By plunging us into writer, activist, and philosopher grace lee boggss lifetime of vital thinking and action, and traversing the major u. The evolution of grace lee boggs, by grace lee show all authors. The evolution of grace lee boggs follows the long life of grace lee boggs no relation to the directora chinese. Grace lee boggs, activist and american revolutionary, turns.
The evolution of grace lee boggs took the blackversuswhite dichotomy even one step further and rendered it colorblind through the eyes of its 98yearold rebel protagonist. Rest in power, grace lee boggs grace lee boggs passed away peacefully this morning. Grace lee boggs, activist and american revolutionary, turns 100. The evolution of grace lee boggs had its digital premiere on january 20th and is now available for download on. The evolution of grace lee boggs, plunges us into boggss lifetime of vital thinking and action, traversing the major u. Trailer for one of the best documentaries to come along in a long while. The evolution of grace lee boggs plunges us into boggss lifetime of vital thinking and action, traversing the major u. The evolution of grace lee boggs is an entertainingly revealing portrait of a. Remembering grace lee boggsthe evolution of american. The free press offered a free stream of american revolutionary. Grace lee boggs is a 99yearold chinese american whose vision of revolution will surprise you.
James and raya dunayevskaya in the 1940s and 1950s. If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. Pbs s insightful 2014 documentary, american revolutionary. Theyll examine this era through the eyes of radical philosopher and activist grace lee boggs, whose ideas about activism and strategies for change evolved as her understanding of the nature of revolution deepened. Grace lee boggs, 99, is a chinese american philosopher, writer, and activist in detroit with a thick fbi file and a surprising vision of what an american revolution can be. The film was produced and directed by grace lee no relation and edited by kim roberts. To many activists and community organizers, 99yearold grace lee boggs is a legend. A writer, activist, and philosopher rooted for more than 70 years in the african american movement, she has devoted her life to an evolving revolution that. The evolution of grace lee boggs social activist grace lee boggs is the sort of irresistible camera subject that will lend this lively and intelligent. At 99, grace lee boggs is rather matter of fact when you ask her about aging.
Well, in the week leading up to grace lee boggs 100th birthday. Rooted for 75 years in the labor, civil rights and black power movements, she challenges a. Revolution is evolution toward something much grander in terms of what it means to be a human being. Director grace lees compelling documentary biography american revolutionary. Chronicling the decadeslong pioneering social activism of its now 98yearsyoung subject, american revolutionary.
Grace lee boggs is a 99yearold philosopher and activist in detroit whose vision of revolution will surprise you. Grace lee boggs, activist and american revolutionary. The evolution of grace lee boggs, a documentary that debuted in 2014 on pbs stations. With grace lee boggs, danny glover, bill ayers, james boggs. The evolution of grace lee boggs, which the hollywood reporter called an entertainingly revealing portrait of the power of a single individual to effect change.
The evolution of grace lee boggs a film by grace lee become leaders in their fields. Evolution of grace lee boggs, directed by grace lee. Her life was documented by filmmaker grace lee in american revolutionary. Grace lee boggs is an activist and philosopher in detroit who has dedicated her life to the next american revolution and the possibility of a better, more just future for all of humanity. Filmmaker grace lee and activist grace lee boggs on. It is drawn from graces reflections on her journey, but it is about our journey as well. Code switch boggs, famous for her role in helping shape the labor, civil rights and environmental movements in detroit, has. Meet grace lee boggs, a chinese american philosopher in detroit who has been waging a. The evolution of grace lee boggs, a documentary directed by grace lee no relation to boggs portrays the story of this remarkable womans long tenure as an activist. She is known for her years of political collaboration with c. From her work as a black power activist and labor and political revolutionary to her writing, teaching, speaking, and launching of direct action programs in her detroit community, she has helped empower people and change systems, both locally and globally. She directed the peabody awardwinning documentary american revolutionary.
Revolution and evolution in the twentieth century boggs, grace lee on. The evolution of grace lee boggs dvd,what does it mean to be an american revolutionary today. This film will open this years asia program fall lecture series east meets west. At age 97, she has been building movements and developing strategies for social change for most of her life reminding us. At 99, grace lee boggs is rather matteroffact when you ask her about aging. The evolution of grace lee boggs, the documentary film about boggs life, available for free online viewing until november 3.
Ossie davis, a close friend of grace and jimmy boggs, often said that he went to places where he was invited to speak because he knew that was where he was supposed to be at. The evolution of grace lee boggs is the electrifying story of grace lee boggs, 99, a chinese american activist and philosopher in detroit with a thick. The evolution of grace lee boggs plunges us into boggs s lifetime of vital thinking and action, traversing the major u. When grace lee boggs celebrated her ninetyfourth birthday in the summer of 2009, i knew it was important for me to be there in detroit with her and those who love her. Grace lee boggs, 98, is a chinese american philosopher, writer and activist in detroit with a thick fbi file and a surprising vision of what an american revolution can be. Grace lee boggs, 98, is a chinese american philosopher, writer, and activist in detroit with a thick fbi file and a surprising vision of what an american revolution can be. The evolution of grace lee boggs 20, produced and directed by the american filmmaker grace lee. Grace lee boggs is a 95yearold chinese american philosopher and activist. The evolution of grace lee boggs documentary on tue, sept.
Shes participated in a centurys worth of social justice movements and she has no plans of slowing down. This compelling documentary traces the development of an asianamerican philosopher activist and writer a charismatic though largely unknown woman whom angela davis once said made more contributions to the black struggle than most black people have grace lee boggs personal evolution began during the unstable often violent civil rights era archival footage shows a fiery younger boggs. The evolution of grace lee boggs, a documentary that was part of a film project by the director grace lee about people who shared. Grace lee boggs rebellion is an outburst of anger, but its not revolution. The feisty, chineseamerican civil rights pioneer is not only older and wiser but so wise that she forces the younger grace. Oct 08, 2015 pbs s insightful 2014 documentary, american revolutionary. Her life is the subject of the documentary film american revolutionary. American revolutionary the evolution of grace lee boggs.
Many of her ideas were explored in american revolutionary. The evolution of grace lee boggs, a documentary that was part of a film project by the. The film was recently screened in new york city, which i attended. The evolution of grace lee boggs on june 2728, the weekend of grace lee boggs 100 th birthday. My team and i were constantly confronted with the big questions. In this episode, we honor the life and legacy of civil rights activist grace lee boggs through the lens of the documentary film, american. A marxist and lifelong hegel disciple, the chineseamerican lee boggs gained notoriety in the civil rights and black power movements, alongside her husband jimmy. The evolution of grace lee boggs discussion guide includes background information on grace lee boggs and jimmy boggs, major civil rights movements throughout u. The evolution of grace lee boggs takes us on a journey into the power of ideas and the necessity of expansive, imaginative thinking to propel. The feisty, chineseamerican civil rights pioneer is not only older and wiser but so wise that she forces the younger grace lee to step up her own filmmaking artistry. Pbss doc on grace lee boggs free online colorlines. The feisty, chinese american civil rights pioneer is not only older and wiser but so wise that she forces the younger grace lee to step up her own filmmaking artistry. Oct 06, 2015 many of her ideas were explored in american revolutionary. In the 1960s she and james boggs, her husband of some forty years he died in 1993, took their own political direction.
This documentary about chinese american civil rights activist grace lee boggs 19152015 challenges assumptions that ethnic identity defines how we choose to engage with our community. The evolution of grace lee boggs, has just won some major awards and is traveling the country. Read a description of the pov documentary american revolutionary. Rooted in 75 years of the labor, civil rights and black power movements, she continually challenges a new generation to throw off old assumptions, think creatively and. Grace lee boggs june 27, 1915 october 5, 2015 was an american author, social activist, philosopher, and feminist. The evolution of grace lee boggs, producer and director grace lee caamfest 2014 spotlight honoree documents the vibrant and inspiring life of mrs. The evolution of grace lee boggs by grace lee grace lee boggs, 98, is a chinese american philosopher, writer, and activist in detroit with a thick fbi file and a surprising vision of what an american revolution can be. In 2014, the social justice hub at the new schools newly opened university center was named the baldwin rivera boggs center after activists james baldwin, sylvia rivera. Grace lee boggs is a 98yearold chinese american woman in detroit whose vision of revolution will surprise you. I was asked to cut the trailer, and deliver it within two weeks. An activist and philosopher, she has devoted her life to an. The evolution of grace lee boggs, is available for free streaming until november 3. Video clips provided with this lesson are from american revolutionary.
Jun 27, 2015 grace lee boggs, activist and american revolutionary, turns 100. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. I feel so sorry for people who are not living in detroit, says activist icon grace lee boggs, as she stands before a dilapidated cityscape in the opening sequence of american revolutionary. The evolution of grace lee boggs takes us on a journey into the power of ideas and the necessity of expansive, imaginative thinking to propel societal change.