THE PAST IS PRESENT: JERRY HERRON & GENERAL BAKER IN CONVERSATION

2014
HD single-channel video, 14:26

MOCAD: The Past is Present, on view Sept. 2013 - Jan 2014
/Additional Camera/


This short film was made for an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit called “The Past is Present” which was on view from September 06, 2013 - January 05, 2014. 


Americanist Jerry Herron and Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM) and League of Revolutionary Black Workers founder General Baker stand amid the Diego Rivera mural "Detroit Industry" (1932-33) in the Detroit Institute of Art and discuss labor politics in Detroit's history. General Baker, who sadly passed away months after the filming of this video, shares his memories of working at the Dodge Main plant in Hamtramck and the discriminatory conditions that led to the formation of the DRUM in 1968. Jerry Herron offers context and interpretation of the famous Rivera mural.


Credits:
Camera: Jason Sudak and Julia Yezbick
Sound: Ivan Gamboa
Edit: Jason Sudak