The advent of the automobile promised increased mobility and freedom for US citizens. Yet for African Americans, this new mastery of the open road would also bring new perils. Chronicling the history and personal experiences of African Americans behind the wheel, from the early days of the ‘horseless carriage’ through the seismic social changes of the 1960s and beyond, absorbing documentary DRIVING WHILE BLACK (Monday 25th, 6.45pm) examines the dynamics of race, space and mobility across the decades in a nation where car ownership is synonymous with personal liberty.
While in theory, this liberty extends to every driver, the reality would, for some, amount to just another new chapter in a very old story, which saw some citizens enjoy more freedom than others.