Black Beach/White Beach (2018)
1h 15m | PG-13
In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, two national motorcycle festivals are held over the weeks around the Memorial Day Holiday. One festival is primarily white, the other is predominantly black. While bikers of both colors enjoy both festivals; the city, community and state view these two festivals vastly different creating a divide among the participants, business owners and residents. Against the backdrop of the historical relevance of the area's segregated past, this documentary explores the opposing viewpoints on segregation and integration, mutual love of motorcycle culture, and racial tensions that reach a boiling point every spring in this southern beach mecca.
Director: Ricky Kelly
Studio: N/A
Genre: Documentary
Video: 720p
Cast
Jake Evans
as self - mayor, Atlantic Beach, SC
John Skeeter
as self - historian
Dr. Umar Johnson
as self - African-American Black activist and motivational speaker
Mayor John Rhodes
as self
David Hucks
as self
Reviews
Excellent dissection of the disparities in the treatment of African-American bikers vs white bikers in Myrtle Beach for the respective groups' bike celebrations. Even some of the whites interviewed admitted there was racism involved with everything from arrests for minor offenses to restaurants closing interiors to force the African-American bikers to eat outside during Black Bike Week. One African-American biker said they were treated with more respect when they attended bike events in Daytona Beach, Florida. As Dr. Umar Johnson said, spend the money where you are appreciated and treated well. Always. I know the struggle against racism continues in this country. But never force someone to accept you or take your money. The problem in America is that when people of color choose to support businesses that support them, thereby enriching their own businesses and those of supporters, violence and further discrimination often ensues until people are forced out of business. If you don't want people in your business, why stop them from supporting someone else's? This is a sickness.