Shedding Light on Forgotten Crimes: A Look Back at “The Injustice Files”
As we reflect on the recent strides we’ve made towards social justice, it’s essential to look back at the groundbreaking work done in the past. One such example is the docu-series “The Injustice Files,” which premiered in 2011 on Investigation Discovery. Partnering with acclaimed documentary filmmaker Keith Beauchamp, the series delved into the chilling civil rights-era cold cases that the FBI had reopened in its Civil Rights-Era Cold Case Initiative of 2007. Over a decade later, these stories continue to resonate, reminding us of the long journey towards justice and the work that still lies ahead.
Delving into the Past
In an unprecedented move in 2007, the FBI launched the Civil Rights-Era Cold Case Initiative, reexamining racially-motivated homicide investigations pre-1970. Working alongside local and state authorities, the NAACP, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the National Urban League, the FBI identified over 100 cold cases for this initiative. To bring these forgotten stories to the public’s attention, Investigation Discovery and Keith Beauchamp, known for “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till,” collaborated to create “The Injustice Files.”
Keith Beauchamp: A Filmmaker with a Mission
Beauchamp’s passion for justice was ignited during his work on the Emmett Till documentary. His unique ability to connect with communities and unearth new information led to the reopening of the Till case by the FBI. This experience fueled his drive to assist the FBI in developing leads for their unsolved cases, a mission that found a perfect platform in “The Injustice Files.”
Re-examining Painful Histories
The series tackled three cases from the FBI’s Civil Rights-Era Cold Case Initiative. These included the car bomb murder of Wharlest Jackson, the shooting of the first two African-American police officers in Bogalusa, and the death of activist William Lewis Moore during his solo Freedom Walk. Despite the passage of time, Beauchamp’s tenacious investigations brought fresh leads and renewed hope for justice.
Investigation Discovery: A Platform for Justice
Investigation Discovery (ID), America’s leading investigation network, has been a consistent source of investigative content about culture, history, and the human condition. Through partnerships with news organizations and production companies, ID provides in-depth documentaries and series that challenge viewers on important issues shaping our culture and defining our world.
In a world where justice often seems delayed or denied, the work of Beauchamp and Investigation Discovery serves as a vital reminder of the importance of seeking truth and accountability. As we look back on “The Injustice Files,” we are reminded of our shared history and the ongoing fight for justice.
#JusticeDelayedIsJusticeDenied #CivilRights #ColdCases #SocialJustice #InvestigationDiscovery
In 1961, a bus carrying a dozen black and white Freedom Riders into Montgomery, Alabama, was attacked by what Time magazine called, “…an idiot, club-swinging mob of about 100.”
The idiot leading that mob was one Claude Hensley. Life magazine published photos of Henley in mid-rampage, https://wp.me/pCLYZ-F, but that didn’t stop Montgomery lawyer Morris Dees from taking Henley’s case.
Dees, who would later found the Southern Poverty Law Center, represented Klan thug Henley in AG Robert Kennedy’s federal court in 1962.
Thanks to his sharp lawyer, Henley walked out of court scot-free. Henley’s victims got nothing, least of all justice.
Morris Dees cashed a check worth $35,000 in today’s money, which his law partner Millard Fuller, (who would later found Habitat Humanity), wrote came from the local Klan and White Citizens Council.
When will the Montgomery Freedom Riders get THEIR day of justice? Mr. Dees has been a millionaire since 1964 and the SPLC is now sitting atop more than $216 MILLION tax-free donor-dollars.
How about reopening THAT cold case, Mr. Dees?
https://wp.me/pCLYZ-7m