Bree Newsome first garnered national attention when she tore down the Confederate flag in front of the South Carolina statehouse in 2015, in the name of social justice and equality. Following the brutal murder of nine black parishioners at Mother Emmanuel Church in Charleston, S.C., Newsome climbed the flagpole and pulled down the battle flag as a protest against racist symbolism. Her arrest galvanized public opinion and led to the permanent removal of the flag.
Driven by an unwavering belief in the power of the individual to make change, Newsome established herself as a touchstone of empowerment for disenfranchised people around the world and has become a recognized and celebrated voice on the topics of injustice and racial discrimination.
Also an accomplished filmmaker and musician, Newsome seamlessly blends her artistic talents with her passionate activism as she describes in cinematic detail the heroic gestures of ordinary people on the front lines of activism — and demonstrates that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference in transforming society. The title of her presentation is “Tearing Hatred from the Sky.” (This Black History Month Convocation is sponsored by the Office of Intercultural and International Life.)