Stranger Fruit: What Really Happened To Mike Brown In Ferguson?

Mar 13, 2017

2:00pm – 3:00pm CT

This panel will discuss the historic events which took place in Ferguson, Missouri in August of 2014. The death and treatment of Mike Brown sparked worldwide protests for his justice and soon after launched the cultural phenomenon of 'Black Lives Matter.' The hashtag #JusticeForMichaelBrown became a worldwide trending topic, and it seemed at the time that justice might actually happen. However, on November 24th, 2014 the grand jury in Ferguson cleared Officer Darren Wilson of any crimes and put the blame of what took place solely on Michael Brown. Then, in March of 2015, the federal Justice Department concurred with the findings and gave Michael Brown's family no justice at all. The world has heard many voices from Ferguson, however this panel hopes to shine a light on those at the center of this storm, the family of Michael Brown. Mike's family will discuss and reflect about what happened to him and how the world has responded. Michael Brown had just graduated high school and had a bright future. His family hopes to shine a light on what a great person he was, and how wrong what has happened really is. To reflect on the St. Louis and Ferguson community, the neighboring mayor of Ferguson, Mayor Patrick Green, and St. Louis Journalist, Mariah Stewart, will discuss how things have happened from their perspective. The truth about what took place in Ferguson is still not known by the world and the panelists assembled here are truly the ones of the front lines of working to fix that narrative. The panel will also discuss their film STRANGER FRUIT, which is having it's world premiere at SXSW. Their film will be revealing facts of the case the public didn't know yet and their hope is to help the world understand who Mike really was, and what really happened to him. 'Stranger Fruit' will kick off it's world screening tour in Austin during the festival and this panel will be a launching pad moment to re-ignite the 'Justice For Michael Brown Movement.'

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

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