Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn is a 2020 documentary film directed by Muta’Ali Muhammad. The film tells the story of Yusuf Hawkins, a 16-year-old black teenager from East New York, Brooklyn, who was murdered on August 23, 1989, by a group of white youths in the predominantly Italian-American neighborhood of Bensonhurst.
The film provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the murder, the trial and conviction of the perpetrators, and the impact of the killing on the community and Hawkins' family. Through interviews with Hawkins' family members, eyewitnesses, journalists, and scholars, the film sheds light on the racism and segregation that still existed in New York City in the late 1980s.
The film also highlights the activism and resistance that emerged in the wake of the murder, as civil rights leaders, activists, and community members organized protests and boycotts in Bensonhurst, demanding justice for Hawkins and an end to racial violence. The film explores the themes of racial injustice, police brutality, and the power of community organizing in the fight for social justice.
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn was released on August 12, 2020, on HBO and received critical acclaim for its powerful storytelling and exploration of the legacy of racial violence in America. The film has been praised for its timely and important message and has been widely recognized as a must-see documentary for those interested in understanding the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States.