Black History Month: "Now, about those 40 acres" & The Liberty Bell

Filmmaker Spike Lee's production company is called 40 Acres & a Mule Films. Why?

What was the "Promised Land" MLK was referring to in his last speech, Memphis, Tennessee, April 3, 1968?

Indeed, what does "The Promised Land" mean in concrete signification, and how does it relate to an understanding of history, and to Black history in particular?

And how does The Liberty Bell, icon of American values as much as the Declaration of Independence, intimately inform Black liberation?

The Commons SF welcomes you to view 20 minutes of scholarly videos on just these questions, then join in a moderated roundtable discussion.

Here's our video line up:

MLK on the land question while preparing for The Poor People's Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmv103saaEk&t=7s

Oscar Brown on the 40 acres: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm_opzUhQj4

the back story to "40 acres and a mule" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjseZOhmxy8

The Liberty Bell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvInYZxLKXU

a close reading of the Biblical passage part of The Liberty Bell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cGhz1gkE3I

Chuck Berry introduces The Promised Land: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-46hyvEV5k

MLK speaking of The Promised Land: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgVrlx68v-0&t=142s