Born in the Struggle: The Untold Story of the Children of 1960’s and 70’s American Radicals

A documentary film by Kamasi Hill.

Born in the Struggle is a documentary film that explores the lives of the children of 1960’s and 1970’s Radical Activists. In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was a resurgence of pride, identity, and a reclamation of power and self-determination. My family was a part of this movement and as I child, I was inculcated in it with my African name, my celebration of Kwanzaa, and my parents insistence that I understand and participate in a knowledge of black pride and black identity. This film explores the lives of people from my generation –who were the sons of and daughters of 1960’s & 70’s radicals. The film addresses the question – What was/is life like for the children of many of the 1960’s/70’s Radicals? It explores their reflections and ruminations on their childhood, the influences of their parents, and how the activism of their parents affected their life. The driving narratives of film will be people like Tupac Shakur, Ayanna Gregory, Fred Hampton Jr, Ras Baraka, Tanehisi Coates, and Dave Chappelle.

Initial production and development for this film has been challenging and arduous. Born in the Struggle is part observational, archival, and narrative. The work that it takes to span the country collecting stories, footage, and pictures is both rewarding and tedious. The challenge after the film is done is to create the type of engagement with the community, civic, and academic institutions so that additional voices not in the film can add more to telling and contextualizing the story.

See the promotional video here