The delicate issue of whether to pay reparations to descendants of slaves remains in the news, most recently as a hot-button issue among potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.
In Congress, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, already is sponsoring legislation that would create a commission to study repayment.
The subtle, but ticklish national debate comes at a perfect time for filmmaker, playwright and gospel recording artist Chad Lawson Cooper and his wife, Alicia Robinson Cooper, whose Broadway-based production, “Justice on Trial: Black Lives Matter, Too,” embarks on an Epic Movie version.
The Coopers and their Star studded cast bring the thought-provoking Movie to world by way of streaming due to the Covid-19 pandemic, prior to Covid-19 the Movie was set to premiere in AMC movie theaters nationwide.
Cooper’s story line is transformed into a courtroom setting where two civil rights attorneys, Thaddeus Crump played by a real high powered Attorney John Gesmonde (inspired by national civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump) and Marivn Black played by Hollywood icon Todd Bridges, are suing the U.S. Justice Department for reparations on behalf of the descendants of slaves.
To help convince the mixed-race jury, it features “traveler expert witnesses” portraying black history icons Harriet Tubman played by veteran actress and gospel recording Artist Alicia Robinson Cooper (Cooper’s wife and partner), Medgar Evers played by Actor Lane Harper & Emmett Till played by Chad Cooper II who’s acted for a decade in off Broadway and National touring plays.
The story is punctuated by references to modern-day race-tinged injustices encountered by Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown Jr., George Floyd, Breanna Taylor & Ahmaud Arbery.
Chad Lawson Cooper, a Quincy native who studied theology at FAMU from 1990-1992, where he met Robinson, who has gone on to become a national filmmaker, gospel recording artist and actor.
Justice on Trial the play has been on off-Broadway for the last two years,” said Cooper, who has been Promoting the now movie nationwide. It’s the only movie of it’s kind that deals with civil rights and Reparations. We discuss the Martin Luther King Jr. era, Rosewood, even the (current) border wall (controversy).”
Cooper said the multi-racial cast digs deep in exploring America’s tumultuous history of slavery, racial injustice, the Civil Rights Movement and Trump administration politics. Despite addressing past and modern issues of race, the play is suitable for all ages. The goal is to get people to think about the lasting vestiges of slavery and the country’s evolving racial issues, including police-involved shootings.
Cooper, 49, said he started writing the play/movie following the 2016 shooting death of Philando Castile by Officer Jeronimo Yanez in a suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in front of his girlfriend and young daughter.
Yanez later was acquitted of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm.
“I wanted to start the dialogue about blatant injustice in America when it comes to color lines,” said Cooper, who earned a bachelor’s degree and doctorate in theology from Springfield College in Illinois. and also attended Florida A&M University as well. “Who could shoot a person like an animal and feel justified about it?”
The Coopers have a very impressive team of executive producers such as Hollywood Icon Harry Lennix, Hollywood producer Vanzil Burke, & Rudolph McKissick Jr. while at roster of supporters of the film have endorsed it such the editor in Chief emeritus of Essence Magazine Susan Taylor (This film is excellent and just what the world need to see! Absolutely POWERFUL!) Tommy Dortch, the Chairman of the National 100 Black Men organization ( The Movie is masterful done, the message bridges everything together!) Rev. Al Sharpton, the president of NAN and TV host on MSNBC (This movie addresses the problem in America, but gives a solution as well!)
Deborah Watts, President of the Justice for Emmett Till foundation calls Cooper a genius for his creative work!
Cooper and his partners are pushing a 20/20 initiative by streaming the movie online now @ www.justiceontrialthemovie.com. By donating a portion of the revenue generated to the CARES Mentoring Program, 100 Black Men Inc. & NAN in the name of an Emmett Till while pushing cities nationwide to declare August 28, the day Emmett was murdered, The Emmett Till, as this will be the 65th anniversary of his murder.
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