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An
Exploration of Our History:
North Richmond Part III
Building on the success of the documentary film series
produced by Athletes United for Peace’s Digital
Technology Academy in North Richmond, the latest chapter
is a culmination of work from all three of the previous
teen video project crews. The project was developed by
former City of Richmond employee Doug Harris, who is an
award winning Bay Area documentary film producer.
 The documentary begins with a review of Richmond during
the boom years of WWII and how African Americans moved
out west to seek employment in the Kaiser Shipyards.
During this era of segregation in the East Bay, blacks
were relegated to live in the areas many government
housing projects, and those that owned homes resided in
the unincorporated community of North Richmond.
Through interviews conducted by the teen video crew,
several historical accounts are told about the North
Richmond community that include:
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The
founding of North Richmond’s Neighborhood House, a
social service agency that provided employment and
training, health and youth services to the residents
of the impoverished community.
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The
first major protest by the Black Panther Party that
was centered around a police brutality case which
left a North Richmond residents fatally shot. The
situation led to a series of riots throughout the
community and into downtown Richmond.
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The
racial tension that plagued Richmond Union High
School in the 1960’s that ultimately led to
organized and highly publicized protest by black
students.
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How
the Model Cities Program helped to build the
community’s infrastructure with curbs, sidewalks and
gutters, and ultimately led to the building of the
City of Richmond’s Shields-Reid Community Center.
The
documentary ends with dialogue about the exodus of black
leadership from the community in the early 1970’s
signaling the beginning of a sharp decline in the
quality of life for the residents.
Athletes United for Peace is working to produce the
final chapter of the An Exploration of Our History
series that will cover the history from 1970’s to the
present.
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KCRT
Produced Shows
