Independent Lens S25E8 backdrop
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Independent Lens (1999)

S25E8 Racist Trees

Jan 22, 2024 Season 25 Episode 8 Documentary

Did the planting of trees aim to marginalize a Black community? This documentary explores escalating racial tensions as a historically Black area in Palm Springs, California, battles to take down a towering line of tamarisk trees. Residents argue that these trees create a physical divide, serving as a persistent emblem of racial discrimination that frustrates their efforts for equality and unity.