Ronn Pitts (1933â€"September 2013) was an American filmmaker who
gained prominence through documenting the civil rights movement in
Chicago during the 1960s and 1970s. Pitts was a native of Bronzeville,
Chicago. He is most notable for having broken the color barrier in
Chicago's film industry, becoming the first black filmmaker to be
hired by the NFL, and the first black professor hired in the film
department at Columbia College.Pitts' filmmaking career began as a
camera assistant for the local production company the Film Group. Film
Group was an active commercial company, producing advertisements for
United Airlines, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Aunt Jemima, and many others.
Film Group also made social documentaries, and this provided access
for Pitts to meet many influential groups and figures associated with
the civil rights movement. As a part of Film Group, Pitts worked on
the influential American Revolution 2, a documentary covering the
riots and police brutality on display at the 1968 Democratic National
Convention held in Chicago. Pitts also worked with Film Group on other
such notable films as The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971) documenting
the assassination of the leader of the Black Panther's Illinois
chapter, and Lord Thing (1970), a film depicting the Chicago gang the
Conservative Vice Lords, Inc. as a positive influence in the
community.Pitts would go on to break the color barrier in the white
male dominated film industry by becoming the first black filmmaker to
be hired by the NFL to document the Chicago Bears for 11 years along
with his friend and fellow filmmaker Joe Stratton. While working for
the Bears he captured footage of Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck
Hughes' death in the final minutes of a game against the Bears in
1971. Pitts was also filming during the assassinations of Malcolm X
and Harvey Milk - experiences which all had a profound impact on him
throughout his life.
gained prominence through documenting the civil rights movement in
Chicago during the 1960s and 1970s. Pitts was a native of Bronzeville,
Chicago. He is most notable for having broken the color barrier in
Chicago's film industry, becoming the first black filmmaker to be
hired by the NFL, and the first black professor hired in the film
department at Columbia College.Pitts' filmmaking career began as a
camera assistant for the local production company the Film Group. Film
Group was an active commercial company, producing advertisements for
United Airlines, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Aunt Jemima, and many others.
Film Group also made social documentaries, and this provided access
for Pitts to meet many influential groups and figures associated with
the civil rights movement. As a part of Film Group, Pitts worked on
the influential American Revolution 2, a documentary covering the
riots and police brutality on display at the 1968 Democratic National
Convention held in Chicago. Pitts also worked with Film Group on other
such notable films as The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971) documenting
the assassination of the leader of the Black Panther's Illinois
chapter, and Lord Thing (1970), a film depicting the Chicago gang the
Conservative Vice Lords, Inc. as a positive influence in the
community.Pitts would go on to break the color barrier in the white
male dominated film industry by becoming the first black filmmaker to
be hired by the NFL to document the Chicago Bears for 11 years along
with his friend and fellow filmmaker Joe Stratton. While working for
the Bears he captured footage of Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck
Hughes' death in the final minutes of a game against the Bears in
1971. Pitts was also filming during the assassinations of Malcolm X
and Harvey Milk - experiences which all had a profound impact on him
throughout his life.
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