Age of Injustice Part 1: The cases of Leo Frank and Michael Brown

This is a blog series that I am hoping to expand into a theatrical work of art that also expands the conversation.  The basis for my work, though I hope it will be clear as it unfolds, can be summed up in a quote by renowned, local activist Kevin Powell.  This is my thesis and this is my cry: “But we've got understand the difference between proactive anger that builds and creates something, like a movement, and the reactionary anger that simply wants to lash out and destroy. We've got to decide do we want freedom, justice and power with a clear vision on how to get to those places, or if we only want to vent and spit, until the next Michael Brown is killed.” 

In December I performed in a musical called Parade.  The story is an ancient who-done-it mystery that follows the events up to and proceeding the court case of Leo Frank who was later pardoned (after his death) for the conviction of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl (and they still don’t know who actually did it).

I’ve always thought this story was important but I was particularly interested in how the story happened to play out co-currently with Michael Brown’s case and all that erupted over America as a result.

The parallels between Michael Brown’s case and Leo Frank’s case are haunting.  For one thing, Jews were hated and feared in the South in the early 1900s.  Jewish Northerners were feared because they stood for industrialization and taking people’s jobs away.  They were unwanted outsiders.

Blacks have been historically hated.  It is not possible to deny that their oppression has been the bedrock of this nation and we have not fully repented for it.  The root of this hate is similarly fear.

I read an article in the New Yorker about a kid who was sent to Rikers Island for a crime he didn’t commit simply because he was black.  This is a recent story.

In all 3 cases, these men were the targeted “other.”  Leo was targeted for his different heritage and Michael and this kid were targeted for the color of their skin.

The stories are microcosms of a greater struggle.  In many ways, Michael Brown and Leo Frank were scapegoats in a political battle that ultimately is greater than both of them.  To some, they were an excuse for further segregation and hate.  To others, it was a turning point for decisive action.  In both stories there was something bigger going on: there is a rising cry coming forth against injustice in the land.

An eery real life parallel is worth mentioning: The night of our last all cast rehearsal before dress rehearsals was the trial that would ultimately decide Michael Brown’s killer’s fate.  Our director actually stage manages for a news show and couldn’t make our rehearsal.  As we fictionally put Leo on trial, there was a real live court case on air! 

In many people’s eyes, the case was lost because blood cries out for blood.  I have to say though, there’s a greater blood.  Furthermore, there has to be a greater vision.