An upcoming film documents the history of local revolutionaries
By Serena Cunningham • SAAS alum (2020), Graduating UW in June 2024, having majored in Journalism and Public Interest Communications
Seattle’s historical accounts of the Black Panther Party, a once nationwide organization of activists, is the subject of an upcoming documentary called Seattle Black Panthers Fight for Justice & Freedom.
In response to police brutality during the 1960s, the Black Panther Party began as a self-defense system. After the party’s original establishment in Oakland, California, by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966, Seattle’s chapter was started in 1968 by several people, including brothers Aaron and Elmer Dixon.
In May 2020, Rick DuPree, a Seattlite and director of community partnerships at Seattle Academy, reached out to Elmer Dixon, who still resides in Seattle, and organized a Zoom event for local high school Black student unions to meet and learn about Dixon. Afterwards, DuPree presented the idea of documenting the experiences of Dixon, Aaron Dixon, and other Seattle Black Panther Party members.
A team was formed with DuPree, his son Marques DuPree, Gabrielle Johnson, Che Sehyun, Jet Gerbier, John Twentyfive, and Gigi Gaston.
DuPree and his son Marques DuPree were both born and raised in Seattle. DuPree didn’t have significant experience in production or directing, but took the opportunity to try something new. With the help of his video-savvy son, they were able to bring that new vision to life.
The film is set to be a full length documentary, approximately 75 to 90 minutes. So far, they have screened short previews of the film at various events. Although the film is currently in development, it’s estimated to premiere in March 2024 at the Seattle Black Film Festival.
DuPree said they interviewed 40 to 50 people, including comrades from other states; Elaine Brown, who was once the minister of information and chairman for the Black Panther Party in California; Seattle community members; doctors who once worked in free medical clinics established by the Black Panthers; artists and more.
“This is documenting history, and a history that in a lot of ways, America’s trying to erase,” Dupree said in an interview in early November. “We want to make sure people understand the context around Seattle and what was happening as far as oppression and racism.”
Because historical patterns of oppression continue, audiences can connect those themes in this upcoming documentary to today.
Marques DuPree, director of photography, co-director, producer and editor for the film, said that he immediately took the opportunity when his dad offered the idea. “It’s good to see that we’re able to capture this information before it’s too late,” Marques DuPree said.
He started his production career during high school with music production. After studying journalism at the University of Central Arkansas, he was introduced to video editing, and moved to California to pursue a new career.
He said the process has been fulfilling because smaller projects such as the Seattle Black Panthers documentary can have a big impact. “These are things we aren’t really taught about in school, at least not for the city of Seattle,” Marques DuPree said.
Gabrielle Johnson, the assistant editor for the documentary, said she first discovered the Black Panther Party after doing her own research when she was in high school. It wasn’t taught in South Carolina where she grew up and attended university.
“The Black Panther Party was for the people and I think it’s really important for the next generations to see that,” Johnson said during an interview in May. “There was literally a group of people who were fighting for us, people who were in the community, who took in kids to feed them. They were fighting for our rights.”
With the help of sponsors like the Northwest Film Forum and 4Culture, and donors to a GoFundMe, the project is in its final stages. However they still need to raise $80,000 to $100,000 to help with marketing, archives and distribution.
“All in all it is their story, and we’re trying to help shape it and make sure it's an accurate account of their experiences,” DuPree said.
