ATLANTA, Ga. — On October 23rd, When We Speak TV had the privilege of attending a powerful screening of the documentary How to Sue the Klan at Clark Atlanta University. The screening, held at the Thomas Cole Research Center for Science and Technology, drew a crowd ready to reflect on civil rights history and its contemporary relevance.
In a recent blog, I shared the story of how I first learned about the Chattanooga Five, a group of women whose courageous fight for justice against the Ku Klux Klan would go on to set a national legal precedent. My introduction to this documentary was a continuation of that discovery, connecting the past to an ongoing struggle against hate and racial violence.
Directed by John Beder and produced by Attorney Ben Crump and Raji Ramanathan, How to Sue the Klan recounts a horrific incident in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 19, 1980. Five Black women—Viola Ellison, Lela Evans, Opal Jackson, Fannie Mae Crumsey, and Katherine Johnson—were waiting for a cab when a car driven by a Ku Klux Klan leader passed by. The passengers, also Klansmen, opened fire from the moving vehicle, injuring the women and terrorizing their community. Despite their injuries and trauma, a criminal court delivered a light sentence, convicting only one of the Klansmen, who served a mere six months in jail. Public outcry over the miscarriage of justice led the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) to take on the case in civil court, using the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act to bring the attackers to justice.
The documentary reveals how CCR attorney Randolph McLaughlin and his team leveraged this Reconstruction-era law to argue successfully that the injured women were entitled to compensation. Not only did the court award a settlement equivalent to over $1.5 million in today’s dollars, but it also issued an injunction against Klan activities in Chattanooga. This landmark decision set a legal precedent that continues to empower civil rights litigation against hate groups.
Following the screening, a panel discussion featured notable speakers who have dedicated their careers to social justice and civil rights. Joining the panel were co-producer Nicole Brown; Dr. Ricky L. Jones; Attorney Mawuli Mel Davis; Ronald Crumsey, the grandson of Fannie Mae Crumsey (one of the Chattanooga Five); and Attorney Brian Spears. Attorney Ben Crump, a producer of the documentary, also spoke to the audience prior to the screening. The discussion centered on combatting racism today, standing up for civil rights, and empowering younger generations to share stories of resilience and justice. Panelists emphasized the importance of community action and urged attendees to carry forward the legacy of the Chattanooga Five in today’s social justice battles.
The documentary How to Sue the Klan continues to make an impact across the film circuit, having won multiple awards, including the Andrew Young Cinema & Social Justice Award at the BronzeLens Film Festival and Best Documentary Short at the Roxbury International Film Festival. With a runtime of 33 minutes, the film has been shown at prominent festivals such as the Pan African Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, BlackStar Film Festival, and the American Black Film Festival.
The Chattanooga Five’s legacy lives on as a blueprint for using the law to challenge hate, proving that even in moments of hopelessness, courage and community can bring about lasting change.
