Eyes on the Prize: America at the Racial Crossroads 1965–1985

Airing on public television in 1990, as the second half of the landmark 14-part series Eyes on the Prize, Eyes on the Prize: America at the Racial Crossroads 1965-1985, explores the tumultuous history of civil rights after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, including the movement of activism from the South into Northern cities, the rise of Black Power and the Black Panthers, the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., civil unrest in cities such as Detroit, tensions over school busing programs, and increasing African American engagement in local and national politics.

All 183 interviews conducted for Eyes on the Prize II constitute a treasure trove of first-hand information about the civil rights movement that can be utilized by students, scholars, and media makers. The interviews include innumerable stories from one of the most complex times in American history, beginning with the rise of Malcolm X and culminating in the election of Chicago's first African American mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983. Interviewees include many of the most significant public figures and activists of the time, including Alex Haley, Ossie Davis, Mary Frances Berry, Amiri Baraka, Mike Wallace, Sonia Sanchez, George Romney, Bobby Seale, Harry Belafonte, and many others, both well-known and less-known.

Only a portion of this collection is available digitally. For additional information about the collection, including portions not digitized, please consult the finding aid.