NPR reports the “News.”

Grok Offers this description of an excellent documentary I viewed: “What Killed Michael Brown?” Well worth watching:

What Killed Michael Brown? (2020), written and narrated by Shelby Steele and directed by his son, Eli Steele. Below is an overview based on available information:
Overview
What Killed Michael Brown? is a 1-hour, 49-minute documentary that explores the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, by white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. The incident sparked nationwide protests and became a pivotal moment for the Black Lives Matter movement. The film challenges mainstream narratives about the event, particularly the “hands up, don’t shoot” slogan, which it argues is a “poetic truth” not grounded in evidence. Instead, it presents a perspective rooted in Shelby Steele’s conservative viewpoint, emphasizing personal responsibility and questioning systemic racism as the sole explanation for Brown’s death.
Key Details
* Director: Eli Steele
* Writer/Narrator: Shelby Steele, a Hoover Institution fellow and noted conservative author who argues that systemic racism is more a strategy than a truth.
* Release: October 2020
* Platforms: Available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vimeo, Tubi, and the film’s website (whatkilledmichaelbrown.com). It faced initial rejection by Amazon, which cited “content quality expectations” but later reversed the decision after public criticism.
* IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
* Runtime: 1 hour, 49 minutes
* Genre: Documentary
* Content Rating: Unrated (some platforms list it as 18+ due to mature themes)
Themes and Arguments
The documentary frames Michael Brown’s death as a complex event influenced by more than just racial dynamics. Key points include:
* Challenging the Narrative: The film disputes the claim that Brown was shot with his hands up, citing forensic evidence and witness accounts that suggest Brown charged at Wilson and reached for his gun. It references investigations, including one by President Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder, which found no prosecutable conduct by Wilson.
* “Poetic Truth” vs. Reality: Shelby Steele argues that narratives like “hands up, don’t shoot” are emotionally compelling but factually inaccurate, serving political agendas over truth. He suggests these narratives conflate modern events with historical racial injustices, deepening racial divides.
* Systemic Issues: The film explores broader societal factors, such as poverty and failed social policies (e.g., the War on Poverty), as contributors to Brown’s fate. Steele examines Ferguson and nearby East St. Louis, where he worked in anti-poverty programs, to highlight systemic neglect and community challenges.
* Personal Responsibility: Contributors like civil rights activist Bob Woodson argue that Brown’s actions—such as allegedly robbing a convenience store and attacking Wilson—reflect a lack of personal agency, which the film posits as a critical factor.
* Community Impact: The documentary includes perspectives from Ferguson residents, both Black and white, who felt the national media and protests politicized Brown’s death, leading to riots and a surge in local homicides due to reduced policing.
Content and Structure
The film combines Shelby Steele’s narration with interviews, archival footage, and on-the-ground reporting in Ferguson. It features:
* Interviews: Local clergy, residents, and activists like Rev. Traci Blackmon, who compares Brown’s death to historical atrocities like Emmett Till’s lynching. The Steeles counter these views, arguing they oversimplify the issue.
* Historical Context: Steele traces Black American history from the pre-War on Poverty era to modern times, examining projects like Pruitt-Igoe as examples of misguided social engineering.
* Music: Includes the song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round” by Clarence Cameron White, performed by Lachi, used during riot scenes and credits.
* Visuals: Footage of Ferguson protests, the convenience store incident, and the aftermath of riots, contrasted with quieter moments of community reflection.
Reception
* Positive Reviews: Supporters praise the film for its intellectual rigor and courage in challenging dominant narratives. On Rotten Tomatoes, it’s described as a “vital dissenting opinion” that fosters healthier discourse. Fans appreciate its measured tone and Steele’s firsthand perspective on civil rights history.
* Criticism: Some viewers call it “lazy filmmaking” or biased, arguing it downplays systemic racism and overly focuses on Brown’s actions. Critics note a lack of mainstream reviews, suggesting discomfort with its conservative stance.
* Controversy: Amazon’s initial ban sparked accusations of censorship, with director Eli Steele arguing it silenced diverse Black voices. The decision was seen by some as reflecting Big Tech’s preference for politically correct narratives.
Related Context
* Another Documentary: A separate documentary, Stranger Fruit (2017), directed by Jason Pollock, takes a different approach, suggesting Brown did not rob the Ferguson Market and Liquor store. It uses previously unreported footage to argue Brown was engaged in a negotiated exchange, not theft, challenging the police narrative.
* Legal Outcome: Officer Darren Wilson was not indicted, and no civil rights charges were filed, as confirmed by federal investigations and St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell in 2020.
* Cultural Impact: Brown’s death fueled the Black Lives Matter movement, with Ferguson becoming a symbol of racial tension. The documentary argues this politicization overlooked local nuances.
Where to Watch
* Streaming: Amazon Prime Video (rent or buy), Apple TV, Tubi (free with ads), Vimeo On Demand.
* Official Website: whatkilledmichaelbrown.com offers viewing options and additional resources.

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Free Speech note. I’ll let Grok describe hurdles faced by Shelby and Eli Steele in getting their documentary distributed:

Amazon initially blocked the distribution of What Killed Michael Brown? in 2020, citing that the documentary did not meet its “content quality expectations.” This decision prevented the film from being available on Amazon Prime Video, a major streaming platform. Director Eli Steele and writer/narrator Shelby Steele publicly criticized the move as censorship, arguing it suppressed a dissenting Black perspective on the Michael Brown case and racial issues. They suggested Amazon’s rejection reflected a bias toward politically correct narratives, especially given the film’s conservative viewpoint challenging the “hands up, don’t shoot” narrative.

The controversy gained traction, with accusations of Big Tech stifling free expression. After public backlash and pressure, Amazon reversed its decision, allowing the documentary to be streamed on Prime Video. The exact reasons for the initial ban and subsequent reversal were not fully detailed by Amazon, but the incident fueled debates about platform gatekeeping and ideological bias in content distribution.

The film is now available on Amazon Prime Video for rent or purchase, alongside other platforms like Apple TV, Tubi, and Vimeo.