Original subtitles

As you know, Monday is Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, and we all know what that means.

Oh, yes, you fell in Nordstrom.

No, Kim.

SMC is having a tribute to honor Dr.

King's birthday, and I am going to reenact his famous I Have a Dream

I have a dream, boo.

You want to hear it? Yeah, no, I just ate.

Anyway, the Black History Department will be hosting a reception after the

tribute, so I need a headcount for refreshments. So who's planning on

Please.

Thank you, T. Yeah,

uh, could you bring me back a doggy bag from the reception?

Can you make that two?

You mean to tell me it's just gonna be me and Miss Parker?

See, dreams do come true.

I mean, it's bad enough you want to leave me alone with Miss Parker.

But the fact that you're not willing to honor a man who died fighting for

equality is deplorable.

The professor's right. If it wasn't for Dr. King leading sit -ins and boycotts,

things would still be segregated.

We could still be sitting in the back of a bus.

Not me.

I need my own ride.

It's hard picking up honeys on the bus.

See, you don't even have your own ride. That's your mom's car.

Hey, it's practically mine. I pumped the gas.

Okay, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Now, this isn't about cars or honeys.

We're discussing black history.

And quite frankly, I'm ashamed at the apathy from everyone.

Let me show you something.

Hey, watch out! He's getting the bell! Oh, I'm sorry, Mama. I got him confused

with you.

This is an article from 1972.

I guess you don't believe in recycling, huh?

Now, it wasn't that long ago, while fighting for his rights at SMC, my

Professor Jackson Xavier, led a rebellious uprising.

Uh,

I might as well get this meeting started.

It doesn't look like Professor X is gonna make it. Professor X probably

back to help out with the free breakfast program.

You're probably right. Thanks, Brother Theodore.

You don't know my sister.

Theodore is my slave name.

I prefer to be called by my African name, T.

Sorry we're late.

Had to pick up some Afro sheen.

take a while.

All right, take a seat.

The Black Student Union meeting can finally begin.

Uh, I said you can have a seat.

Last month, we've been talking to the dean about recognizing Dr.

King's birthday as a campus holiday.

Now, I think what we need to do is have a letter writing and petition drive.

That's for suckers. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being

hoodwinked. That's being tricked.

Bamboozled. That's being really tricked.

Exploited. That's being really, really tricked. You see, it's time to take

action.

Even if it means going to jail. Have you been sniffing that

afro, Shane?

Now, what good would we do by ending up in jail?

We're already in jail.

The oppressor's jail.

Why are you teaching me to do that? We're not in jail.

What is that blue -eyed oppressor doing here?

Peace, man. Make love, not war.

This is my friend, Sunflower.

I can relate to being oppressed.

One time, my housekeeper was ill. I had to do my own laundry. Power to the

people.

You have got to leave.

Yeah. Yeah.

See you on the flip side, snowflake.

Now, as president of the Black Student Union...

I say she doesn't have to go anywhere. Yes, she does.

No, she doesn't. May I speak to you for a moment, alone?

I'll be right back.

I miss you.

Oh, yeah?

What about Angela?

Just, uh... Stop Gap to ease the pain of losing you.

And what about Imani, Keela, and Shirley?

I was in a lot of pain, baby.

Come back to me. And together we'll lead the revolution.

It's no use.

We're on separate pages.

I can't endorse by any means necessary if it means using violence. Okay, okay.

What if we just fooled around on the side?

We're already doing that. Right, right.

Never mind.

We better go back in.

What do we tell them?

Just follow my lead.

Gladly.

Is that lipstick on you?

No, it's lip gloss.

Really great.

Professor X and I have reached a compromise.

We will hold a peaceful rally in the Student Union on Friday.

Well, this is cause for celebration.

Come on, everybody.

It starts in five minutes.

I got french fries to drop.

Hey, sister, thanks for coming. Did you sign the petition to have Dr. King's

birthday recognized as a national holiday?

Sorry, but I'm an informant.

Incense, 10 for 50 cents.

Incense, 10 for 50 cents.

Why so high, my light -skinned sister?

I mean, I can get 10 for a quarter down at the Compton Flea Market.

Oh, I'm trying to buy tickets for the Isley Brothers concert tonight.

I heard this could be the last tour.

Oh, damn, hip. I mean, they've been performing for nearly 15 years. How much

more can they sing?

Uh,

why are they chaining the doors?

Listen up, my sisters and brothers.

The time has come to fight for what we believe.

What I believe in is pass...

peaceful rally.

Sometimes you have to compromise the truth in order to serve the greater good

the movement.

So you lied.

Yeah, pretty much.

Dr. King didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize by holding hostages.

We're not after prizes. We want freedom.

Sister Angela, I'm the leader, okay?

Now, we're not after prizes.

We want freedom.

Excuse me, Mr. Professor X.

I just want to let you know that I support everything that you do.

You make a fine panther, little sister.

Oh, thanks. I love a fraternity that's co -ed and wears leather.

Where do I play? The Black Panthers is not a fraternity. It's a party.

Oh, that's even better. I love a party.

Come on, everybody. Let's do the Funky Chicken.

I think we should let this one go.

From here on out, we're in this together.

Right on.

The revolution will not be televised.

but it will be broadcast on this radio station.

T, get in there and cut off the power. Sorry, my sister.

I'm a pit.

A pit? Panther in training.

Get out of my way.

I won't let you keep us here against our will. Now, you can't do it. It's too

late, my Nubian queen.

It's done.

Attention, Dean Robinson and the rest of you oppressors.

This is Professor X.

The Panthers have officially taken over the student union and radio station.

The revolution has begun.

How is it legal?

Put your fist down.

And the revolution had begun.

I love this story. It's better than a young and a restless.

Hey, Professor Young, it was real.

I hope Nefertiti was able to show Professor X that violence wasn't an

except when it came to that Angela chick. Now somebody needs to kick her

So what happened next?

Well, later on that evening... Hell no, we won't go. And this is just

the beginning.

We won't surrender until our list of demands are met.

Well, I hope they're met by eight, because I got tickets to see the Isley

Brothers.

You got tickets to the Isley Brothers concert?

You didn't tell me. Did I say Isley Brothers? I meant to say Osman Brothers.

Ruthie, they're out of sight.

Our list of demands are... Eggs, milk, butter.

Sorry, wrong list.

Here you go.

Like I was saying, we first demand that you recognize Dr. King's birthday as a

campus... And don't forget...

No bottom hip, honey.

Campus holiday.

Second, we want black history courses to be part of the school's curriculum.

Third, we want to make SMC 95 % black.

95 %?

You're right. Make that 100%. All right.

Wait a minute.

Fourth, we want soul food offered at the school cafeteria.

Hey, I heard that. Now you're talking, brother.

Until these demands are met, we will not evacuate, and we will play the black

national anthem continuously over the radio. Oh, and I'm warning you, don't

anything foolish, because we are armed.

If Dr.

King were alive today, he would never approve of these tactics.

Now, he believes in turning the other cheek.

Look, the only way we can change things...

is to redirect black consciousness from dependency to self -determination.

Yeah, that means we need to stop waiting on the man and do things for ourselves.

You drive turkey.

If you step in my face one more time, I'm going to snatch a hole in your

We need to be united.

I'm sick of being united. You need to choose either me or her.

Look, when the revolution goes down, we won't have to live by conventional

rules.

My waterbed's big enough for all of us.

I hope you drown in it.

I'm through with you and all your radical ideas.

Girl, you can have them.

Okay.

See, you don't understand.

I gotta make this interview over at USC.

This is my chance to get out of here and flip burgers at a four -year school.

Cheer up, Woody.

There'll be other opportunities.

It's not like you're gonna be stuck here for the next 30 years.

Anybody stay cool as hot as it is.

Stay focused.

Just because the dean turned off the air and the water, we will not be deterred.

No, but we will be hot and thirsty.

Anybody got a hot comb? My roots are getting thick.

You said this would only be for a day.

I got to get the car back to my mama.

Look, there are more of us against you than for you.

We will overpower you.

I brought these to use on the pig, but I will use them on sellout.

Now, we'll stay here as long as it takes.

Yeah, well, it better happen soon, because we're all out of food.

The only thing that's left is this bag of M &M's. Oh, I'll have it.

I will.

It's mine.

Go ahead.

Y 'all can split it.

Hey, I saw that.

Okay, okay, you busted me.

What do you want?

Snickers, three musketeers, or payday? Snickers.

Look, we all need to calm down and relax.

Yeah, Brother T, why don't you give us one of your poems?

All right.

Here's a little something I was working on.

Stand up for what's right, and if you fall, get your ass back up and fight.

Learn to fight with all your might.

and the last one standing will look like me. You doubt my words, you just wait

and see. And if you don't get what I mean, it's all about keeping the dream,

yeah.

That was so far.

Were you screaming and pointing at everybody?

Yeah, I was thinking about adding music to it. Like a song?

Nah, not a song.

Sort of like rapping to music.

Rapping? That'll never catch on.

You should stick with the sound that'll be around forever.

Disco.

That's the dean.

Dean Robertson.

Uh -huh.

Mm -hmm.

Uh -huh.

Yeah, right.

Bye.

Well, what do you think?

Something about all of us being expelled.

already plugged out. What?

I was going to tell you, Mama, in a few years.

Man, I can't get expelled.

I'd rather get shot than face my mama.

Look, he's trying to bluff us, saying the building's surrounded by cops and

he'll send the men.

I don't know about surrounded, but the front door is packed with them. We must

remain strong.

If they come in, we're going to get arrested.

And if I go to jail, I'll never get out.

Why, are you on the lam?

No. Too many parking tickets.

Traitors!

Whatever happened to black unity?

Go on.

Sell out to the oppressor.

I can dig it.

You have two minutes to exit the building or you will be forcibly

It's over, Professor.

Unlock the door.

We can fight for Dr. King's birthday another way.

Don't worry, Professor X. I got your back. All right, my brother.

and we're prepared to die even if we have to shoot it out.

Did you say die?

Love, peace, and chicken grease, my brother. I'm out.

No, you're not.

I have the key.

Come on, Professor.

Let us out.

Never.

Stink is in the submission.

It's dirty laundry.

Professor X, where are you?

And without a trace, Professor X disappeared for years.

Well, if that all happened in 1972, why did it take so long for Dr.

King's birthday to be recognized as a national holiday?

I had to start somewhere.

Nothing happens overnight.

Well, were there other demands met?

Well, uh, SMC now offers black history classes.

They have a week -long celebration for Dr. King's birthday. And the enrollment

of African Americans has increased.

And we have soul food.

Woody makes chilling burritos on Wednesdays.

Now, with a show of hands, who plans on attending the tribute to Martin Luther

King, huh?

Come on, I give up.

We're just playing with you both.

All right.

Any questions?

Can I come after the Nordstrom shoes fail?