The 1960s were a turbulent time in US history. Racism and discrimination pervaded every aspect of American society, including the television and publishing industries. Years of activism by African Americans and their allies resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965). While these landmark decisions lifted barriers that prohibited African Americans full access to public spaces, employment, and the constitutional right to vote, this legislature could not mandate social change. Racial discrimination continued to hinder the educational, housing, employment, and social opportunities of African Americans. Feelings of disillusionment and outrage continued to rise alongside poverty levels within African American communities. These racial tensions reached a boiling point during the 1960s and 1970s as African American journalists, activists, and artists took to the streets, the printing press, and the emerging black media to fight for black liberation. Devorah Heitner’s Black Power TV and Fred...

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