Deacons for Defense (2003)

In the heat of the 1964 "Freedom Summer", nestled in Bogalusa, LA, a seismic shift is taking place. The echoes of "Black Power" reverberate through the town, invoking the spirits of Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, and Eldridge Cleaver. This is the setting of Deacons for Defense, a fact-based movie starring Forest Whitaker and Ossie Davis. Whitaker portrays the founder of the Deacons of Defense and Justice (DDJ), a group of beleaguered African-Americans who, tired of enduring relentless harassment, take up arms to make their voices heard. Davis plays a tranquil minister, striving to stave off the inevitable storm of violence. The narrative unfurls around a white-dominated factory, the town's economic lifeblood, providing 70% of its revenue and employing 40% of its populace. But within its walls, the ghosts of segregation still linger. African-Americans are denied supervisory roles, consigned to separate lunchrooms, bathrooms and drinking fountains. The factory is the stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), their power unchallenged, their influence far-reaching. As the DDJ arm themselves for defense, the KKK responds by rallying more members from across the nation. The tension is palpable, the stakes are high, and it's clear that a battle is looming. Deacons for Defense paints a vivid portrait of a pivotal moment in history, where the silent cries for justice and the thunderous roars for power clash, threatening to engulf the town in a war.

Deacons for Defense is a drama movie featuring Forest Whitaker.

Deacons for Defense is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Crackle, Freevee, Shout! Factory TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on DIRECTV, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel and fuboTV.