Imperfect Parallels, Past and Present: The Civil Rights Movements in the USA and Ireland

An introduction to the Civil Rights movements in Northern Ireland and the U.S., with guests Dr. Kipton Jensen on site at the Museum of Justice and Equality in Birmingham, Dr. Samuel Livingston who speaks about important lessons from the U.S. Civil Rights movement. Former Senator and chair of the SDLP in Northern Ireland Brid Rogers gives her account of the Civil Rights movement in Northern Ireland, and we interview Linda Ervine MBE from the Unionist community in Belfast.

We look at the lives of two civil rights campaigners; Frederick Douglass of the United States, and Daniel O’ Connell of Ireland. Dr. Samuel Livingston and Dr. Kipton Jensen discuss the legacy of Frederick Douglass, and Professor Christine Kinealy takes us through the life of Daniel O’Connell, and his significance in both the Irish and American Civil Rights campaigns.

This module focuses on cultural identity, through the lens of another two civil rights campaigners, Paul Robeson from the U.S., and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey from Northern Ireland. Dr. Samuel Livingston discusses the life of Paul Robeson, and examines the complexities of culture and identity. We hear about Bernadette from Derry Mural Artist Tom Kelly and author Brian Dooley. Finally we hear from Bernadette herself from a recent podcast interview. 

Dr. Kipton Jensen introduces the parallels between the two events and a short summary of each event is given. Dr. Vicki Crawford discusses the impact of Bloody Sunday in the U.S. on the nation and the world, and Don Mullan gives us his first-hand account of the Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland, and its ongoing impacts. We then speak with Tony Doherty (Chair, The Museum of Free Derry) about growing up in Derry, and the legacy of the actions by the British authorities on the communities of Northern Ireland.

Over two lectures, we look at important women in the US and Irish/Northern Irish civil rights campaigns. First, Dr. Vicki Crawford introduces us the activists and participants in the American civil rights campaign, such as Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, Ella Baker. Dr. Niamh Hamill then takes us through the women who were central to the Northern Irish civil rights campaigns past and present, highlighting the struggle for Women’s Rights and the activists involved, and the women central to the progress of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.

This module focuses on two key leaders of the different civil rights movements, Martin Luther King Jr. in the U.S., and John Hume in Northern Ireland. Dr. Kipton Jensen discusses King Jr.’s early life, as we take a short look at the events of his work in civil rights. Dr. Vicki Crawford and Dr. Jensen then give us an insight into the scholarly side of Dr, King. We are then joined by Tim Attwood Secretary of the John and Pat Hume Foundation, who gives us an account of John Hume’s life in politics, his impact as a change-maker, and his work towards the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland.

Dr. Corrie Claiborne looks at the importance of literature and art in civil rights movements, and how language has been used to ignite social movements, and the importance of activism in more modern artistic contexts. We then hear from Tom Kelly as he explains the background of the famous ‘Bogside Murals’, why he and others decided to paint them, the importance of supporting artistic communities, and how the community responded to these pieces.

Dr. Niamh Hamill speaks with Thimali Kodakari (Producer, Host, Mothers of Invention Podcast) about climate justice, and the relationship between the threat of Climate change and justice and human rights, particularly the impact of climate change is having on marginalised communities, We also hear from Omar Friella (Founder, Green Workers Cooperative) who was interviewed on Thimali’ s podcast by hosts Mary Robinson and Maeve Higgins

A 2-part panel discussion from the John Hume John Lewis Symposium, a series of five symposia curated by the African-American Irish Diaspora Network. A panel of creatives, scholars and activists from Ireland and the U.S. discuss civil rights and social justice in the 21st century. Chaired by Dr. Kipton Jensen, and introduced by Mr. Dennis Brownlee, Director of AAIDN, and Sarah Keane from the Consulate of Ireland in Atlanta.