The year was 1989, 16-year-old Yusuf Hawkins and friends went to an Italian-American neighborhood,-Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, to buy a used car. As they exited the 20th Avenue Train station, they encountered a group of white men, searching for black boys rumored to be dating women in their neighborhood. This led to the senseless murder of Yusuf and lynching of his friends.
The lawless response of Yusuf’s untimely death infuriated New Yorkers, resulting in numerous peaceful protests and marches. The non-ending fight for justice, including commands of his family and city, pivotally inspired and eradicated New York City. Initiating a surge of racial tensions and intense activism Influenced the ballot being in favor of David Dinkins, the city’s first and only black Mayor removing Ed Koch.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Hawkins Family / HBO
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn, directed by Muta’Ali Muhammad, won the Feature Documentary Initiative presented by the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and Lightbox. Coinciding their campaign to foster diversity in the feature documentary arena. The documentary Unveils the brutal cycles and occurrences of injustice and systematic racism throughout America’s history that’s still relevant today. Watching will enthrall viewers by employing visuals of the past, viewpoints from a multitude of sources, and exhibiting state officials’ depravity.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Hawkins Family / HBO
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn unveils the brutal cycles and occurrences of injustice and systematic racism throughout America’s history that’s still relevant today. “This film ties together the past and the present showing how racism can rear its head anywhere, even in a liberal city.”
-director Muhammad
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Hawkins Family / HBO
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn Debuts August 12 at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO available to stream on HBO Max.
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