Before we start, just a couple quick notes:

Make sure you are logged in to comment. Please refresh your browser every minute or so to see new comments, questions and answers.

To reply to specific comment, hit the reply button underneath it and then type away. Always hit “send comment.” Thanks!

Please stay on topic/s–in this case tonight’s film Freedom is Now and the film’s director Emiel Cleaver, Freedom, Inc, Kansas City politics, community and grassroots organizing, and related subjects; If you’d like to type about other newsworthy issues please find a post elsewhere on FDL to do so. Thank you.

Please be respectful of each other. And yeah, I tpye badly…

Welcome to Firedoglake Movie Night, Emiel and thank you so very much for being here tonight!

Thank you for inviting me.

Emiel, Welcome to the Lake, and for a great documentary.

This film is fascinating, and a very personal story, as Emiel, your father was very involved with Freedom, Inc which was founded 10 years before you were born. WHat was is like like growing up?

Thank you, I am happy to be here.

Does the movie tell how Jordan’s murder was solved?

Growing up I didn’t pay much attention to politics but my twin brother and I were always around politicians.

Welcome, Emiel!

I’m a pastor with ties to KC, and it’s great to see the story of Freedom Inc here at Firedoglake!

I love the stories of the various people that you interview. Who among them had the story that made you go “Whoa — I didn’t know that!”?

Yes it does talk about the cold case investigation but there are people that believe that there are still some unanswered questions.

Oh, RevBev, thanks for asking, I do want to know more about Leon Jordan’s murder. Emiel, what were the circumstances that led to the murder being solved?

Probably Judge Leonard Hughes. His father was a founding member and he knows a lot about the organization.

The shotgun that was used to murder Jordan had been recovered.

Wow, hadn’t the shotgun disappeared from the KCPD evidence locker…?

There were also community activists that persuaded police to re open the case. The KC Star also did it’s own investigation.

Yes, it was used in another murder.

the shotgun was actually found in a police patrol car.

I do not know enouhg of the story….but is this an inside corruption?

That raises so many other questions like how did the gun get removed from the evidence locker, but let’s get back to Freedom, Inc and your film–You have a personal connection to the subject in that your father Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II was deeply involved with Freedom ,Inc. –and what motivate dyou to make the film?

I was in a Master’s class at UMKC and chose to write a paper about Freedom Inc. but I couldn’t find much information to finish the paper. So I decided to make a documentary to tell a story that had never been told.

Kansas City has always been influenced by organized crime ever since the days of Tom Pendergast.

He’s definitely an articulate voice in your story. Was there a particular part of your conversations with him that really hit you?

Growing up, did you know the full extent of your family’s involvement with Freedom, Inc. and politics?

thank you for this, I was completely unaware of Freedom, Inc.

so much is taken for granted anymore.

I also wanted to educate young people about this important organization.

Is Freedom, Inc. still active? Are people in their 20s, 30s and 40s getting involved?

The control that organized crime had over the African American community.

Churches were an important aspect to the community in the 1960s and 1970s,and a great base for organizing–it that so now?

I knew they were always at Freedom meetings and we were always passing out literature during election season.

Freedom is still active but they have lost a lot of their influence and there biggest problem is that young people are not involved.

Thank you for bringing that up–my next question. People forget that organized crime was in the Midwest outside of Chicago. How did KC’s organized crime–the North Side– run candidates? What sort of rackets were they involved in? And was there a drug problem in KC in the 60s and 70s?

Churches are still the most powerful institutions in the community.

That was one of the main reasons I made the documentary.

Did your dad’s church continue to thrive after he left?

Is Freedom,Inc. doing outreach now at community colleges, colleges and universities?

There were a lot of women activists interviewed in your film, and number of women elected through Freedom, Inc.. Are there still a lot of women activists in Freedom Inc.?

I appreciated the way in which your interview subjects laid out how that control was operated — the African American community was divided against itself, with a few trusted folks given money and a little “help” to keep things in line.

I also loved how people described how Freedom Inc came together to challenge that setup. They focused first on a single ward, and demonstrated that people did have the power to influence things.

Bruce Watkins was clearly another serious force. As a successful funeral home director, he had contacts and trust in all parts of the KC black community — churches and pastors, rich and poor, and business leaders of all kinds.

The North End had there hands in almost everything including the Las Vegas casinos. They owned a lot of liquor stores around town which were fronts for narcotics. They also were deep in the entertainment business. Kansas City was famous for Blues and Jazz and they controlled most of the night clubs.

Have you gotten much local reaction to the film?

The candidates were handpicked to represent the interest of the North end. They also had their hands in the trucking industry.

What = the North End? Is it location only, etc? What’s the reference?

Yes Bruce Watkins was very well liked in the community so people wanted to follow him and Leon Jordan was a organizer so when they decided to work together they were able to accomplish a lot.

Your dad laid that out very succinctly in the film, saying “We [Freedom Inc] were lucky to have had Leon Jordan — as long as we did because they [the North Side] hated him almost from day one.”

By expanding the number of members on city council, Freedom Inc was able to increase representation and to balance out those controlled by the North Side. Did Freedom, Inc gain control of those districts held by the North Side?

They were located around the City Market area which is the North side of the city before you get to North Kansas City which is a separate city. This area was also a red light district at one time.

Thanks…Location, location…Got it.

Leon didn’t bow down to anyone and he had a temper which the North End hated. He also hit a state rep on the floor of the house. This rep vited in the interest of the North end.

It was also an area where Italian immigrants migrated to in the late 1800s. there is a documentary called Black hand Strawman that details the history of the Kansas City Mafia.

That was almost my question….is there a book on the subject?

As I watched the film, I was struck not only by the local details of the story, but also at how this parallels other political movements where those on the margins try to band together to take on the system that is holding them down. In particular, I was reminded again and again of Harvey Milk and his work in the 70s in San Francisco to help the gay community throw off the powers (both business interests and anti-gay forces) that were arrayed against them. Like Watkins, Harvey had contacts all around and campaigned again and again that gays like himself should run for office, not merely accept whatever crumbs are offered to them, and like Leon Jordan, Milk was killed by his opponents for being too good at building up the power of his community.

I also wondered about the Occupy protests as I watched your film. Based on what you learned of Freedom Inc and their story, what might people in the Occupy movement take away from your film that could shape their efforts?

Eventually Freedom and other organizations got fed up with the North End and took those seats. There was an entertainment district in the 80s called River Quay. The North End got carried away trying to take over the entire district and bodies were being found daily. So the entire city put a stop to the North End’s reign.

I am familiar with Harvey Milk and there are similarities. I think the Occupy Movement needs to set a specific goal and organize to reach those goals.

There were other African-American organizations by the 1970s–the Black Panthers for example. Were they able to make political inroads? Did they want to work with or against Freedom, Inc.?

yes there are several books. I believe there is actually a book that was made along with the documentary with the same title

Watkins was clearly about specific goals. This ward, this office, that policy, that law . . .

I laughed out loud when your dad told the story about being new in town and running against Watkins for some office and getting beaten. Then you spliced in another person (whose name escapes me) who had been working for Watkins and Freedom, who told about Watkins’ comments on election night or the next day. Speaking to his inner circle, he asked “Who here knows Cleaver? We’ve got to get him working for Freedom.” Your dad learned a lot about campaigning from him.

My cousin Pete O’neal was actually a Black Panther in KC at the time. He is still living in exile in Tanzania, there is a documentary about him called Panther in Africa. There was also another group called SAC 20. These organizations worked with Freedom occasionally but I also believe they bumped heads on a few issues.

That was Archie Welch a former Freedom Inc. president. Bruce really encouraged my father to run for office and he learned a lot from Bruce and Leon.

Emiel this is a wonderful posts. Thanks for sharing. Was Eldridge Cleaver related as “Soul on Ice”. He promoted violent revolution and in doing so turned off the greater black community. But writing was 1965-68 while in Folsom prison. He bragged about rape so was not a sympathetic revolutionary.
I remember in USMC boot camp 1954 the fights between blacks and southern whites. It has been a tough 60 years struggle. Long way to go to the mountain top.

Obviously You have seen alot, including the election of a Black Pres….Are you feeling mostly optimistic? No? I think we are at a not so funny cross roads….

Freedom, Inc. seems to have had a far reaching influence, and their methods of organizing can possibly be seen in Fort Worth and New Orleans which elected black mayors, and even in Los Angeles where we elected Tom Bradley.

Eldridge was also related of course I never met him. I don’t think my father has never met him either but he was a relative. My father does know Pete though and has visited him in Tanzania. I hope to do the same one day. Eldridge was also living in exile and in order to be allowed back into the country had to work for the Republican party in particular President Reagan.

Bruce actually sent members to other cities to work with African Americans and help with political campaigns.

I was surprised to see James Nutter in the film. For folks outside KC, Nutter is a big, big mortgage lender who started his firm here in KC in the 50s, and remains a powerful presence in KC’s business community.

In the film, other white people are mentioned or seen in still photos, but Nutter is one of the few (perhaps only?) with a significant interview. Can you say a bit about how Freedom was perceived by the white community, and point to others like Nutter who supported Freedom’s work?

I am an optimistic person but I realize there is a lot of work that needs to be done. Kansas City, Missouri is one of the most racially divided cities in the country.

And you know, As a southern, I always have trouble accepting that reality. Not to doubt, however.

There has been both black and white flight from urban Kansas City. What can be done to keep people in the city proper and not in the suburbs?

Dr. Harry Jonas was also interviewed but I couldn’t fit him in without exceeding an hour. White women were very supportive of Freedom as well as various religious leaders. Former Mayor Richard Berkeley was very supportive of my father and appointed him Mayor pro Tem. He agreed to be interviewed but we couldn’t work out a time to do it

Rebuild the inner city. There is a lot of poverty East of Troost which is predominately black. There needs to be more job opportunities,the school district needs a complete make over.

I would imagine there were a bunch of things that it hurt to leave out. Any stories you’d like to pass along that didn’t make the cut?

What does your father think of the film?

I am actually using some of the interviews that weren’t used for other documentaries. I am doing one about Bruce Watkins for the cultural heritage center that bares his name. My father had some pretty funny stories about him that will be used. Dr. Jonas sparked my interest for another story about medical treatment for blacks in the 50s and 60s. I am also going to interview Mayor Berkley

He really liked it. I am planning on telling his story when he retires from politics.

that would be wonderful!

There are actually some stories that I was asked to leave out.

Good luck…You are a really nice guest….Interview Dr. Bob Hill for your dad’s story; they’ve done some great work together….Thanks.

I will interview him. his doc will be longer that an hour since I will have funding for it. Thanks for having me.

Next week we’re discussing STITCHED, which explores the secretive and highly charged world of (hold your breath) competitive (keep holding it!) QUILTING!

Ha!

Any idea when the Bruce R Watkins film will be released?

Thank you for a great film.

I think you give us hope…Blessings.

Not yet. It will only be 30 minutes at the most.

Thanks

Emiel, thank you so much for making FREEDOM IS NOW. It’s an important film about history, and an important film for our future. And thank you for being here tonight!

Every church at which I’ve been the pastor has had a quilting group. The word “competitive” does indeed fit some of the quilters I’ve known.

Thank you.

I’ll be looking for it.

Thanks for coming by tonight!

And Firepups, if you’re interested in bringing FREEDOM IS NOW to you local school, library, political group or church, you can reach Emiel here.

I was so hoping you’d do this film :)