Produced by Tim Brachocki

If I Had A Hammer presents a sixty-year historical overview of significant struggles for increased democracy and social justice in the United States through the life and music of Pete Seeger.   Interviews with Seeger and others involved in these various peoples' movements form the backbone of the program. Seeger's narrative ties the documentary together as he relates his life and music to the movements examined. The union, civil rights, peace, women's liberation and environmental movements are featured. Profiles of Stella Nowicki, Dorothy Cotton, Philip Berrigan, Byllye Avery and Lois Gibbs add to the narratives of the various movements.

Throughout US history, diverse groups of people have joined together to push for positive changes in society. These groups have included workers, women and people of color who fought for and won increased rights in their personal and political lives. These forces for change in American society started at the local level through community, factory and church, and then pushed the issues into the national arena. This program's perspective is that a democratic society is constantly evolving and requires participation from citizens at every level to increase social justice for each of its members.

Pete Seeger has been a singer and songwriter since 1939. He traveled the country performing with Woody Guthrie and together they became part of The Almanac Singers. In the early 1950s, Pete was a member of The Weavers and they had a number of national hit songs. Seeger was blacklisted and cited for Contempt of Congress by the House Committee on Un-American Activities for refusing to testify in 1955. The song If I had a Hammer was written in support of progressive movements in 1949 and has since become known around the world. He was a vocal critic against the Vietnam War and his song Where Have All the Flowers Gone has become a popular anti-war anthem. He has used his music and public persona since the 1970s to support Clearwater, an organization working to clean up the Hudson River. He has employed music throughout his life to entertain, educate and organize people concerning issues of peace and social justice.

Reviews:

In no other documentary that I have seen on the period--make that no other documentary--is the political power of music so compellingly and movingly displayed.

John Burdick, Director, Syracuse Social Movement Initiative

 

In a time of war and despair,  this film, awash in music and the surge of humanity,  is a breath of fresh, exuberant air.   It is a vibrant, exciting  history of our era,  and Pete Seeger is the perfect narrator, with his songs and his simple, powerful words of enthusiasm and hope. We see and hear not just Pete himself, but the extraordinary people, black and white, men and women, young and old, who sing and protest and hammer out their demands  for  freedom and justice, in the never-ending struggle for a better world.  I hope this film will be shown in every school, community, on every television station in the nation.  It could inspire the coming generation to become actors in the great drama of our time.

Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States

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