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  Republicans on Clinton impeachment: “A lie is a lie.”

  December 20, 2019 at 2:21 pm / Blog

  Tom DeLay (R-TX), 1998: “What the defenders want to do is lower the standards by which we hold this president, and lower the standards for our society by doing so.” On Wednesday, Donald Trump became the third president in history to be impeached by the United States Congress. We took the occasion to look for contemporary perspectives on the last time a president was impeached. In a collection from the late Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL, 1959-1995), we found a VHS … Continue reading →

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  December 4, 1969: Fred Hampton murdered in his bed by Chicago Police

  December 4, 2019 at 1:35 pm / Blog

  In the early morning hours of Dec. 4, 1969, a team of police officers organized by Cook County State’s Attorney Edward Hanrahan stormed an apartment ostensibly in search of illegal weapons. The apartment was the residence of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and it served as the chapter’s headquarters. Nearly 100 shots were fired. When the haze of gun smoke cleared, Fred Hampton and another Panther, Mark Clark, lay dead. The raiding officers … Continue reading →

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  Once Upon a Time Down Clark Street

  December 3, 2019 at 12:56 pm / Blog

  Twenty-four years after the release of Down Clark Street, a documentary uncovering the now bygone Clark Street of the 1960s and 70s, legendary filmmaker Tom Palazzolo has released a new book of photographs revealing yet another remarkable and candid glimpse at a street integral to Chicago’s history. Simply titled Clark Street, the book contains dozens of photographs taken by Palazzolo himself in addition to essays by artists who have known both Palazzolo and Chicago for decades. In 1962, Palazzolo moved … Continue reading →

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  The View from East Germany

  November 14, 2019 at 11:34 am / Blog

  The media has given much attention to the 30th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s collapse, lauding the often-facile narrative of democracy over communism, of freedom over tyranny. Yet, the reality of historical events and their impact on the lives of ordinary people is never quite so simple. Often lost amid the spectacle of politicians, policy makers, and the mass media are the ways that ordinary people have grappled with their extraordinary circumstances, ranging from the heroic, the tragic, and the … Continue reading →

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  Nixon Resigns: The Legacy of Impeachment

  October 31, 2019 at 9:10 am / Blog

  August 8, 1974.  It was a different world, a different president and an unprecedented American crisis.  That was the night Richard Nixon sat in the Oval Office and made the surprise announcement that he was resigning as President of the United States. Some independent video producers obtained a videotape recorded in the moments before the speech.  It was the European pool feed, never intended for broadcast: a rare glimpse into the curation and production of a president’s image. We think … Continue reading →

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  Chicago teachers have gone on strike 11 times since 1969

  October 30, 2019 at 5:01 pm / Blog

  The Chicago Teachers Union plans to vote at 6pm today to end a 10-day strike. The deal is contingent on Mayor Lori Lightfoot agreeing to allow the lost school days to be made up, which she has not yet agreed to do. Chicago’s teachers have gone on strike 11 times since 1969. The longest strike, in 1987, went on for 19 days. This video from 1975 documents full-time teachers and substitutes on the picket line. The 11-day strike resulted in … Continue reading →

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  “We need to understand how the media and politicians divide us all…”

  October 21, 2019 at 12:25 pm / Blog

  Democracies around the globe are in peril as systematic disinformation campaigns divide well-meaning communities and wear away public trust.  Widespread protests around the world have led to state crackdowns on free expression.   Here’s how Media Burn is fighting back. We have been creating international partnerships of journalists, media makers, students, and teachers to investigate and speak out about media distortion and how it damages democracy in all countries. We started this alliance between concerned colleagues in St. Petersburg, Russia … Continue reading →

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  Chicago Lost and Found: Public Housing edition

  September 23, 2019 at 2:15 pm / Blog

  Thursday, October 10, 6-8:30pm Jane Addams Homes, 1322 W Taylorfree! dinner provided! Join Media Burn and the National Public Housing Museum for a truly special evening of cinema under the stars. As part of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, NPHM has activated the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes by inviting South African artist Malose Malahlela, along with Jim Duignan and Jeff Kowalkowski of Chicago’s Stockyard Institute, to create the installation Listed, which considers themes of place and loss … Continue reading →