Brad Lichtenstein on American Reckoning

Brad Lichtenstein is an Emmy- and Peabody-winning documentary filmmaker whose work has traced the human cost of American systems, from economic upheaval and gun violence to the ways history keeps resurfacing in the present. In this episode, he talks to Matthew about American Reckoning, his Frontline documentary about the 1967 car-bombing of civil rights activist Wharlest Jackson Sr. and the decades-long fight to understand why justice never came. Lichtenstein breaks down how the film’s extraordinary archival footage shaped the story from the start, what it took to earn the Jackson family’s trust, and the ethical decisions behind filming trauma without turning it into spectacle. He also reflects on collaboration, perspective, and what it means to make investigative work in an era when funding and time are running out. “You watch a lot,” he says. “And it’s just a big mess until it’s not anymore.”

To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at ⁠joincampside.com⁠. You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. Have a question, guest recommendation or just want to say hi? Email us at Originstories@campsidemedia.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.