White Southerners and Black Panthers coming together as a group seems like a paradox, but I was astonished to learn the Rainbow Coalition, formed in 1969, was real.
The Rainbow Coalition was the brainchild of Fred Hampton, Deputy Chairman of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party, and it comprised other organizations made up of Blacks and Puerto Ricans.
Judas and the Black Messiah is based on actual events about Fred Hampton and an FBI informant who infiltrated the Black Panther Party in Chicago in the late 1960s.
Daniel Kaluuya delivered an electrifying performance as the charismatic Fred Hampton in the film, which earned him multiple awards, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. LaKeith Stanfield was also exceptional as the FBI informant, Bill O'Neal.
There's no question the Black Panther Party was very controversial and militant, but they were a product of a failed system and persistent social injustice. It's also worth noting the Black Panther Party should not be confused with the anti-Semitic New Black Panther Party.
History has this bad habit of repeating itself, and if we don't learn our history from books and schools, then movies, documentaries, and television will fill the void.
Judas and the Black Messiah is one of the best movies about social activism, but anyone who thinks it's trying to promote violence against law enforcement misses the point of the film.
Judas and the Black Messiah exposes another dark chapter in American history, but it is inspiring how people of different backgrounds can unite to advocate change for a better way of life. And if different groups have the desire and grit to join together for a common cause, anything is possible.
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