FMS Colloquium Lecture Series: Annie Sullivan "Broadcasting Resistance: A History of Black Media Activism and Civic Life in 1960s Detroit”

FMS Colloquium Lecture Series: Annie Sullivan (Oakland University, Assistant Professor of English, Creative Writing, and Film)

"Broadcasting Resistance: A History of Black Media Activism and Civic Life in 1960s Detroit”

Broadcasting Resistance: A History of Black Media Activism and Civic Life in 1960s Detroit examines how Black media producers mobilized local television to advance Black liberation struggles and challenge white dominance over communication infrastructure in the wake of Detroit’s 1967 Rebellion. Drawing on newsprint discourse, archival materials, oral histories, and close textual analysis, this research uncovers largely overlooked histories of community-based television production that sought to articulate Black cultural values and political objectives to local audiences. By tracing the material labor and creative strategies of media activists operating with scarce resources, the project positions local broadcasting as a critical platform through which Black civil rights activism played out and expands our understanding of Black contributions to media history.