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Both activists were charged with defacing monuments on capitol grounds<ref name=yuhas>{{cite web|last1=Yuhas|first1=Alan|title=Activist pulls down Confederate flag in front of South Carolina statehouse|url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/27/woman-removes-confederate-flag-south-carolina-statehouse|website=The Guardian|accessdate=June 27, 2015}}</ref> and taken to Richland County Jail.<ref name=TheState>{{cite news |title=Confederate flag pulled from SC capitol grounds by activists (+video) |author=Sammy Fretwell and Sarah Ellis |url=http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article25652377.html |newspaper=[[The State (newspaper)|The State]] |date=June 27, 2015 |accessdate=July 4, 2015}}</ref> The misdemeanor crime is punishable by a fine or a maximum jail sentence of three years.<ref name=yuhas/><ref name=SC10-11-315>{{cite web |title=South Carolina Code § 10-11-315: Defacing monuments on capitol grounds |url=http://law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/2013/title-10/chapter-11/section-10-11-315 |publisher=Justia |accessdate=July 3, 2015}}</ref> A judge set a $3,000 bond for each.<ref name=TheState/> By late afternoon, a crowdfunding campaign had raised over $60,000 for her bail. Filmmaker [[Michael Moore]] also offered on Twitter to pay her bail and legal fees.<ref name=moore>{{cite web|title=Michael Moore|url=https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/614814840893255680|website=Twitter|accessdate=June 27, 2015}}</ref> [[Todd Rutherford]], the minority leader of the state House of Representatives, will represent Newsome in court.<ref name="santaella" /> [[NAACP]] chapter president [[William Barber II|Reverend Doctor William Barber II]] applauded Newsome's action, comparing it to those of [[Rosa Parks]] and other icons of the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement|civil rights movement]].<ref name=holloway>{{cite web|last1=Holloway|first1=Lynette|title=Here’s Everything We Know About Bree Newsome|url=http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/06/here_s_everything_we_know_about_bree_newsome_who_removed_the_confederate.html|website=The Root|accessdate=June 29, 2015}}</ref> Colette Gaiter, an associate professor of art and social change at the [[University of Delaware]], whose writing was republished by [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine]], called the act "a significant piece of socially engaged performance art".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://time.com/3944951/bree-newsome-confederate-flag/ |title=Bree Newsome's Confederate Flag Pole Climb Was an Artistic Statement |first=Colette |last=Gaiter |date=July 1, 2015 |publisher=Time.com |accessdate=July 4, 2015 }}</ref> Newsome's actions were criticized by several SC State legislators who said they were in favor of the flag’s removal, but illegal actions like Newsome’s could hurt their goal to have the flag permanently removed.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.kaaltv.com/article/stories/s3837580.shtml|title= Woman Arrested for Removing Confederate Flag in SC Statehouse|date=6 June 2015}}</ref> Calls for the flag's removal have been on the increase since the murder of nine people in the [[Charleston church shooting]] of June 17.<ref name="locker" />
Both activists were charged with defacing monuments on capitol grounds<ref name=yuhas>{{cite web|last1=Yuhas|first1=Alan|title=Activist pulls down Confederate flag in front of South Carolina statehouse|url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/27/woman-removes-confederate-flag-south-carolina-statehouse|website=The Guardian|accessdate=June 27, 2015}}</ref> and taken to Richland County Jail.<ref name=TheState>{{cite news |title=Confederate flag pulled from SC capitol grounds by activists (+video) |author=Sammy Fretwell and Sarah Ellis |url=http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article25652377.html |newspaper=[[The State (newspaper)|The State]] |date=June 27, 2015 |accessdate=July 4, 2015}}</ref> The misdemeanor crime is punishable by a fine or a maximum jail sentence of three years.<ref name=yuhas/><ref name=SC10-11-315>{{cite web |title=South Carolina Code § 10-11-315: Defacing monuments on capitol grounds |url=http://law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/2013/title-10/chapter-11/section-10-11-315 |publisher=Justia |accessdate=July 3, 2015}}</ref> A judge set a $3,000 bond for each.<ref name=TheState/> By late afternoon, a crowdfunding campaign had raised over $60,000 for her bail. Filmmaker [[Michael Moore]] also offered on Twitter to pay her bail and legal fees.<ref name=moore>{{cite web|title=Michael Moore|url=https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/614814840893255680|website=Twitter|accessdate=June 27, 2015}}</ref> [[Todd Rutherford]], the minority leader of the state House of Representatives, will represent Newsome in court.<ref name="santaella" /> [[NAACP]] chapter president [[William Barber II|Reverend Doctor William Barber II]] applauded Newsome's action, comparing it to those of [[Rosa Parks]] and other icons of the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement|civil rights movement]].<ref name=holloway>{{cite web|last1=Holloway|first1=Lynette|title=Here’s Everything We Know About Bree Newsome|url=http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/06/here_s_everything_we_know_about_bree_newsome_who_removed_the_confederate.html|website=The Root|accessdate=June 29, 2015}}</ref> Colette Gaiter, an associate professor of art and social change at the [[University of Delaware]], whose writing was republished by [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine]], called the act "a significant piece of socially engaged performance art".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://time.com/3944951/bree-newsome-confederate-flag/ |title=Bree Newsome's Confederate Flag Pole Climb Was an Artistic Statement |first=Colette |last=Gaiter |date=July 1, 2015 |publisher=Time.com |accessdate=July 4, 2015 }}</ref> Newsome's actions were criticized by several SC State legislators who said they were in favor of the flag’s removal, but illegal actions like Newsome’s could hurt their goal to have the flag permanently removed.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.kaaltv.com/article/stories/s3837580.shtml|title= Woman Arrested for Removing Confederate Flag in SC Statehouse|date=6 June 2015}}</ref> Calls for the flag's removal have been on the increase since the murder of nine people in the [[Charleston church shooting]] of June 17.<ref name="locker" />


On July 2nd, 2015 Newsome and Tyson were interviewed by [[Amy Goodman]] on [[Democracy Now]], where they talked at length about their motivations for taking down the flag, and their subsequent arrest. <ref>{{cite web|title=Bree Newsome: As SC Lawmakers Debate Removing Confederate Flag, Meet the Activist Who Took It Down|url=http://www.democracynow.org/2015/7/6/bree_newsome_as_sc_lawmakers_debate|website=Democracy Now|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> Later that evening she was a guest on [[The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore]] where she drank [[mint julep]]s with Wilmore (a follow up to an earlier parody of South Carolina lawmakers “talking about talking about” removing the flag while drinking the same thing). Wilmore presented Newsome with the "Bree Newsome Award" and posed some potential superhero names for her; "The Ascender" and "Queen Bree."
On July 2nd, 2015 Newsome and Tyson were interviewed by [[Amy Goodman]] on [[Democracy Now]], where they talked at length about their motivations for taking down the flag, and their subsequent arrest. <ref>{{cite web|title=Bree Newsome: As SC Lawmakers Debate Removing Confederate Flag, Meet the Activist Who Took It Down|url=http://www.democracynow.org/2015/7/6/bree_newsome_as_sc_lawmakers_debate|website=Democracy Now|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> Later that evening she was a guest on [[The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore]] where she drank [[mint julep]]s with Wilmore (a follow up to an earlier parody of South Carolina lawmakers “talking about talking about” removing the flag while drinking the same thing).

{{quote|“I think the proper superhero name is Bree Newsome,”|Larry Wilmore<ref>http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article26273794.html</ref>}}


A vote on the presence of the flag took place among South Carolina's House of Representatives on July 9th, which resulted in the final removal of the flag the following Friday.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33457169</ref>
A vote on the presence of the flag took place among South Carolina's House of Representatives on July 9th, which resulted in the final removal of the flag the following Friday.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33457169</ref>

Revision as of 00:50, 8 August 2015

Brittany Ann Byuarium "Bree" Newsome is an American activist and filmmaker[1] from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Early life and education

Newsome attended Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, Maryland. In 2003, she was named one of the "20 Coolest Girls in America" by YM magazine.[2][3] While still in high school, Newsome created a short animated film for which she won a college scholarship. She studied film at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.[4]

Career

Film

Newsome first attracted national attention in 2012 when she released a music video, Shake It Like an Etch-A-Sketch, which satirized Mitt Romney.[5]

Her film Wake has won numerous awards, including the Outstanding Independent Short Film award in the Black Reel Awards of 2012[6] and the Best Short Film at the BET Urban World Film Festival.[7] It has been screened at many film festivals including the 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival in France, the New York International Latino Film Festival, and the Montreal International Black Film Festival. Newsome was the first African-American undergraduate to be nominated for the prestigious Wasserman Award (Spike Lee having won the award as a graduate student).[3]

Newsome said that her experience as a black woman working in the horror and sci-fi film genres inspired her to become an activist. Speaking as part of a panel at Spelman College in 2014, she said, "The space that exists for many of us, as a young black girl, is so extremely limited so that you really can’t go very far without being an activist, without being in defiance of something."[5]

Activism

Newsome was arrested in July 2013 at a sit-in at the office of then North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis while protesting North Carolina's voter ID law.[8]

She was arrested on June 27, 2015, for taking down a Confederate battle flag that was displayed on the grounds of the South Carolina State House[9][10] in direct action.[11][12] Newsome, age 30,[13] while scaling the 30-foot pole, was hailed by policemen who told her to get down. She responded, "In the name of Jesus, this flag has to come down. You come against me with hatred and oppression and violence. I come against you in the name of God. This flag comes down today."[14][15][16] As she descended the pole and lowered the flag into the arms of awaiting policemen, she announced she was prepared to be arrested. Newsome and a man who police said was helping her, James Ian Tyson, were arrested. Onlookers applauded Newsome's efforts as she was being cuffed. As she was led away she recited the 23rd Psalm from the Bible. The flag was raised again 45 minutes later.[17]

Both activists were charged with defacing monuments on capitol grounds[18] and taken to Richland County Jail.[19] The misdemeanor crime is punishable by a fine or a maximum jail sentence of three years.[18][20] A judge set a $3,000 bond for each.[19] By late afternoon, a crowdfunding campaign had raised over $60,000 for her bail. Filmmaker Michael Moore also offered on Twitter to pay her bail and legal fees.[21] Todd Rutherford, the minority leader of the state House of Representatives, will represent Newsome in court.[17] NAACP chapter president Reverend Doctor William Barber II applauded Newsome's action, comparing it to those of Rosa Parks and other icons of the civil rights movement.[22] Colette Gaiter, an associate professor of art and social change at the University of Delaware, whose writing was republished by Time magazine, called the act "a significant piece of socially engaged performance art".[23] Newsome's actions were criticized by several SC State legislators who said they were in favor of the flag’s removal, but illegal actions like Newsome’s could hurt their goal to have the flag permanently removed.[24] Calls for the flag's removal have been on the increase since the murder of nine people in the Charleston church shooting of June 17.[10]

On July 2nd, 2015 Newsome and Tyson were interviewed by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, where they talked at length about their motivations for taking down the flag, and their subsequent arrest. [25] Later that evening she was a guest on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore where she drank mint juleps with Wilmore (a follow up to an earlier parody of South Carolina lawmakers “talking about talking about” removing the flag while drinking the same thing).

A vote on the presence of the flag took place among South Carolina's House of Representatives on July 9th, which resulted in the final removal of the flag the following Friday.[26]

References

  1. ^ "Bree Newsome Speaking on Art, Activism, Science Fiction and Horror @ Spelman". NewBlackMan. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  2. ^ Sherman, Natalie (June 27, 2015). "Bree Newsome, who removed Confederate flag, known as principled leader". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Panelists: Octavia E. Butler Celebration of Arts and Activism". The Octavia E. Butler Society. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  4. ^ "About Bree Newsome". BreeNewsome.com. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Contrera, Jessica (June 28, 2015). "Who is Bree Newsome? Why the woman who took down the Confederate flag became an activist". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ "The Help Cleans Up At the Black Reel Awards". The Black Reel Awards. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  7. ^ "Watch A Film By Bree Newsome, The Hero Who Took Down The Stars And Bars". io9. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  8. ^ Saki Knafo (July 25, 2013). "North Carolina Voter ID Law Targets Student Voters, too". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  9. ^ "Watch Bree Newsome climb a 30-foot flagpole to take down South Carolina's Confederate flag". Vox. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  10. ^ a b Locker, Melissa. "Activist Bree Newsome Arrested After Daring South Carolina Confederate Flag Removal". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  11. ^ Caslin, Yvette. "Bree Newsome applauded by NAACP president Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II". Rolling Out. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  12. ^ "Aktivistin Bree Newsome holt Südstaatenflagge ein". Der Spiegel. Retrieved June 27, 2015. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |(empty string)= (help)Template:Link language
  13. ^ Blidner, Rachelle. "Confederate flag raised again at South Carolina Statehouse after Bree Newsome climbs pole to remove it". New York Daily News. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  14. ^ http://www.evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/nonviolence-and-peacemaking/thank-you-bree-for-removing-the-confederate-flag-2/
  15. ^ http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/bree-newsome-brings-wings-of-justice-to-charleston-by-taking-down-confederate-flag/19402-bree-newsome-brings-wings-of-justice-to-charleston-by-taking-down-confederate-flag
  16. ^ http://www.aparchive.com/search?startd=&endd=&allFilters=Colombia%3ALocations%2CCelebrity%3ASubject&query=bree+newsome&advsearchStartDateFilter=&advsearchEndDateFilter=&searchFilterHdSDFormat=All&searchFilterDigitized=All&searchFiltercolorFormat=All&searchFilteraspectratioFormat=All
  17. ^ a b Santaella, Tony (June 27, 2015). "Pair released on bond after removing Confederate flag at S.C. Capitol". USA Today.
  18. ^ a b Yuhas, Alan. "Activist pulls down Confederate flag in front of South Carolina statehouse". The Guardian. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  19. ^ a b Sammy Fretwell and Sarah Ellis (June 27, 2015). "Confederate flag pulled from SC capitol grounds by activists (+video)". The State. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  20. ^ "South Carolina Code § 10-11-315: Defacing monuments on capitol grounds". Justia. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  21. ^ "Michael Moore". Twitter. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  22. ^ Holloway, Lynette. "Here's Everything We Know About Bree Newsome". The Root. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  23. ^ Gaiter, Colette (July 1, 2015). "Bree Newsome's Confederate Flag Pole Climb Was an Artistic Statement". Time.com. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  24. ^ "Woman Arrested for Removing Confederate Flag in SC Statehouse". June 6, 2015.
  25. ^ "Bree Newsome: As SC Lawmakers Debate Removing Confederate Flag, Meet the Activist Who Took It Down". Democracy Now. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  26. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33457169
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