Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brick by Brick:A Civil Rights Story |
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| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Bill Kavanagh |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
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| Cinematography | Peter Stein |
| Editor(s) | Sylke Froechtenigt |
| Running time | 53 min |
| Production company(s) | Kavanagh Productions Inc |
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| Picture format | NTSC |
| Original release | 2007 |
Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story is a documentary film from 2007. It was made by Bill Kavanagh, who was both the producer and director. The film tells the true story of a long and difficult fight in Yonkers, New York.
It follows three families from the 1970s to the 1990s. They were part of a big disagreement in the city. This fight was about making sure people of all races could live anywhere and go to any school. The documentary also shows how ordinary people worked hard to fix unfair housing and school rules.
Contents
What is 'Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story'?
This documentary is about the struggle for Civil Rights in Yonkers. It focuses on how people fought against unfair rules. These rules kept people of different races separated in neighborhoods and schools.
The film shows how people worked together to make things fair. It highlights the efforts of everyday heroes. These heroes wanted to end racial separation and unfair housing practices.
The Fight for Fair Housing and Schools
For many years, some cities in the United States had rules that separated people by race. This was called housing segregation. It meant people of different races were forced to live in different areas. Schools were also often separated by race.
The documentary shows how people in Yonkers tried to change this. They wanted school desegregation. This meant making sure students of all races could go to the same schools.
The Role of Activists
The film highlights the brave actions of grassroots activists. These were ordinary people who organized and spoke up. They worked hard to keep the fight for fairness going.
One person featured in the film is Winston Ross. He was a civil rights activist from Westchester County. The documentary shares his story, including his youth in Yonkers.
The Big Court Battle of 1988
A major part of the film is about a famous event in 1988. This was a big disagreement between the Federal courts and the City of Yonkers. The city had not followed court orders to fix the unfair housing and school rules.
The courts said the city had to build new housing to help mix neighborhoods. But the city leaders did not want to do this. This led to a serious conflict. The city faced big fines for not obeying the court.
The Mayor's Challenge
The HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero (2015) also tells this story. It is based on a book about the 1988 events. Many people from the documentary are also shown in the miniseries.
One important person was Nick Wasicsko. He was the youngest mayor in Yonkers' history. He played a big part in the 1988 crisis. He had to deal with the tough decisions about following the court orders.
Where to Watch 'Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story'
Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story first came out in February 2007. It was shown on WNET, a public television station.
After that, it was shown on many other public television stations. It was also featured at film festivals across the country for several years.
