Independent Lens Season 7 Episode 13 Negroes With Guns: Rob Williams and Black Power

Independent Lens season 7 episode 13 is titled "Negroes With Guns: Rob Williams and Black Power." This episode explores the story of Robert F. Williams, a civil rights leader and advocate of armed self-defense for black Americans during the 1950s and 60s.

Williams was born in Monroe, North Carolina in 1925. As a young man, he served in World War II and returned to Monroe to become involved in civil rights activism. Williams quickly became a popular figure in the community, organizing protests and sit-ins to desegregate local businesses.

However, Williams' most controversial stance was his belief in the right of African Americans to arm themselves for self-defense. During a time when black Americans were often subjected to violence from white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, Williams argued that the only way to protect themselves was through active self-defense.

In Monroe, Williams organized an armed group called the Black Guard, which patrolled the town to protect black citizens from Klan violence. He also published a newsletter called The Crusader, which advocated for the use of violence if necessary to defend civil rights.

Williams' beliefs put him at odds with many in the civil rights movement, who advocated for nonviolence as a tactic for change. But for Williams, nonviolence was not enough to protect black Americans from the violent oppression they faced.

The episode features interviews with Williams' family and friends, as well as historians and civil rights leaders who worked alongside him. They discuss Williams' impact on the civil rights movement and his controversial legacy as a proponent of armed self-defense.

The episode also delves into Williams' exile, which was sparked by his involvement in a 1961 incident in which he and his followers exchanged gunfire with a group of Klan members who had attacked a black couple. Williams was accused of kidnapping the couple, and fearing for his safety, fled to Cuba where he lived for several years before eventually returning to the United States.

"Negroes With Guns: Rob Williams and Black Power" sheds light on a little-known aspect of the civil rights movement and the complex legacy of a lesser-known civil rights leader.