Good Evening POU!
Today, August 28, is a profoundly symbolic day in the collective memory of black folks in America. In what may seem like pure happenstance, a number of monumental events have occurred on this day throughout history.
Acclaimed filmmaker, Ava DuVernay, who debuted the film August 28: A Day in the Life of a People at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) last September, took to Twitter earlier, to remind us all of the day’s historical gravity, by mapping out the exact events that make it of such importance.
On Aug 28, 1833, slavery is abolished in the UK, contributing to the American abolition of slavery. This date opens our film “August 28.”
On Aug. 28, 1955: Emmett Till, 14, is brutally murdered by three white KKK members, becoming the flashpoint in the civil rights movement.
On Aug. 28, 1961, Motown released its first hit, “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvellettes. Motown would go on to transform American culture.
On Aug. 28, 1963: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech, bending the arc a little further towards justice.
On August 28, 2005: Hurricane Katrina makes landfall and the government response reveals massive inequities and environmental injustice.
On Aug. 28, 2008: Senator Barack stuns the world and accepts the Democratic nomination for President of The United States of America.
On Aug. 28, 2016, @Kaepernick7 delivers his first official remarks on his reasons for protesting the national anthem.