Brittany “Bree” Newsome is the young African-American woman who scaled up the flagpole outside the South Carolina statehouse and removed the Confederate flag. That week she appeared on Good Morning America to talk about her motivations. She said, “We want an end to the hate.” Her action wasn’t without result. She was charged with defacing a monument. She faces a fine of up to $5,000 and three years in prison if convicted.
Newsome is a performance artist. She graduated from New York Unversity’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she created a variety of short films which gained national attention. The president of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Peter Price, described Newsome’s work as a “combination of intellectual horsepower and creative range.” She currently works as an activist and youth organizer in North Carolina. Filmmaker Michael Moore has pledged to cover her legal expenses. Newsome will appear on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore on July 2, 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
Bree Newsome via Twitter (@BreeNewsome)
