Dru Holley

Dru Holley is a producer/director from Denver, Colorado, and currently living in the pacific northwest. Dru is attuned to the direction of Black films and its future; he’s invested in learning just about every part of creating entertaining and informative media, from production assistant to director. His most recent work includes short films and promotional web content, and his goal is to focus on African American history documentaries and feature film. Dru is a graduate of the Art Institute of Colorado where he specialized in video broadcasting.

ABOUT BUFFALO SOLDIERS: FIGHTING ON TWO FRONTS

Established by Congress in 1868, the 14th Amendment promised citizenship in exchange for military enlistment, prompting many African American men to do so. But they were denied this right due to Jim Crow laws established during the Reconstruction Era. In spite of this, the men helped lead the expansion of the U.S. westward; they built and guarded the Pacific Railroad, and served as park rangers in places like Yosemite before the government's establishment of the National Park Service.

The soldiers fought bravely in the Indian Wars, the Philippine-American War, the Mexican Punitive Expedition, and World Wars I & II. Buffalo Soldiers, in particular, participated in the subjugation of Native peoples as the U.S. appropriated tribal land, the persecution of striking silver miners in Idaho, and went up against Filipinos fighting for independence during the Spanish-American War, resulting in a complicated legacy.

By combining a multitude of diverse perspectives, the film examines the profound and often-contradictory roles played in American history by the Buffalo Soldiers, and how they fought on two sets of front lines: military conflicts abroad and civil rights struggles at home.

Film

Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts

Program Affiliation

Documentary Lab

Cohort Year

2019-2021

Website

buffalosoldiersmovie.com


Tags
Documentary Lab

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