Celebrating Black History Month with a Special Film Documentary: 'John Burris: The Godfather of Police Litigation'
Please join us for a special film documentary screening and an intimate conversation with filmmaker Doug Harris and civil rights attorney John Burris.
The film, John Burris: The Godfather of Police Litigation, highlights Burris’s life, police brutality, and Burris’s high-profile cases: Rodney King's civil trial, the Oakland Riders case, the Oscar Grant case, Barry Bonds, Mario Woods and among others.
Filmmaker Doug Harris points out that the Burris film documentary “is very special—the majority of my previous biographical stories have been about people who are deceased, and this project has given me an opportunity to form a close bond with a living legend.” As Burris looks forward, he is “really working hard to pass the baton on to the next generation of attorneys to carry on this type of civil rights legal work.”
Watch the trailer for John Burris: Godfather of Police Litigation:
This program is in-person only. If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.
Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a nonprofit, nonpartisan civic forum. We welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our mission.
An Arts Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.
Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.
All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.
Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California
110 The Embarcadero
Taube Family Auditorium
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States
John Burris
Pioneering Civil Rights Attorney
Doug Harris
Media Producer and Filmmaker, John Burris: The Godfather of Police Litigation
Brian Spencer
Co-producer, John Burris: The Godfather of Police Litigation
Carolyn Tyler
Member, San Francisco Film Commission; Retired Anchor and Reporter, KGO-TV/ABC7—Moderator
Robert Melton
Co-chair, Arts Member-led Forum, The Commonwealth Club of California—Program Host
