Amp’s film was a vehicle for Cultural Diplomacy, there is a deep bond Elmore & Kenya whereas the late Kenya President Moi named Amp an African Ambassador where as Elmore foster relationships between Kenya & Memphis in 2019 Kisumu Kenya Gov. Nyong’o visited Memphis
Elmore as a youth could not enter the front door of the Malco because of segregation Elmore a Black man who once could not enter the front door of the Malco sat with owner Steve Lightman to screen his film for exhibition Elmore is City 1st independent 35mm Filmmaker
1989 Film Release Mystery Train began filming Aug. 4, 1988 The Black Film “Contemporary Gladiator” premiered one year earlier the Film commission & Shelby County Historical Commission used tax dollars to erroneously expropriate Black film History for White Film History
Memphis 1st Independent Theatrical Filmmaker Elmore who produced the 1st KickBoxing Film in American Film history is being robbed out of Film legacy in Memphis
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
MEMPHIS, TN, UNITED STATES, November 27, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — The story of Memphis born 5 time World Kickboxing Champion Anthony “Amp” Elmore was told via WMC Channel 5 News Memphis “901 Now” via Taylor Tucker news journalist. Dr. Martin Luther king said; “Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.”
On November 21, 2023 Elmore sent an email to both Black and White Memphis/Shelby County elected officials to have the “Moral Courage” to acknowledge the fact that “the birth of Memphis Independent Film History started in Black Orange Mound in Memphis.”
Elmore explains that we in Orange Mound produced not only the 1st Independent 35mm Theatrical Film in Memphis Film history, our 1988 Orange Mound produced film “The Contemporary Gladiator” is the 1st Kickboxing film produced in American Film history.” The movie is in a position to be awarded for preservation by the “Nation Film Registry.” Such an award is one of the most significant awards and prestigious awards in American film history. Films are selected not as the best films in American film history, but films are selected because of their historical, cultural, ascetic and social impact on American culture.
African Americans have faced generations of systematic exclusion, segregation and inequity. It was on April 4, 1968 where Dr. Martin Luther King was Killed in Memphis fighting against racial injustice and inequality of the striking Black sanitation workers.
Anthony “Amp” Elmore is a five time Memphis born world Superheavyweight Kickboxing Champion is the father of Kickboxing in Memphis. Elmore is not only America’s 1st World Superheavyweight Kickboxing Champion, Elmore is the 1st Kickboxer in American history to be sponsored by a major American corporation. Elmore gained sponsorship from the Adolph Coors Company in 1982 when he won the PKA or Professional Karate Association World Heavyweight Title.
The website of Shelby County African/American Mayor Lee Harris reads: FUNCTION & AUTHORITY; The purpose of the Film and Television Commission is to initiate, recommend, and/or support policies, programs, projects, and events that support the film production industry. The commission is overseen by Executive Director Linn Sitler. Elmore explains that if he could find an attorney or a national investigative reporter, we could prove and win a “multi-million dollar lawsuit and prove outright injustice, discrimination against the City of Memphis and the County of Shelby,
Elmore who was the 1st to bring E.S.P.N. to Memphis in 1981 met with Memphis Mayor Wyeth Chandler seeking support. Elmore met with newly elected Mayor Dick Hackett. Elmore in 1982 won the PKA world heavyweight title in Memphis. Elmore had an arrangement in 1983 noting that NBC Sports World would televise his Championship fight defense, however Elmore needed local support. Elmore arranged with Mayor Hackett to advertise Memphis on the fight canvas via an E.S.P. N. telecast. Elmore notes that while he provided goodwill for the City of Memphis highlighting “Memphis America’s Distribution Center” on the canvas, the business community declined to support Elmore . Mayor Hackett was embarrassed that the business community would support Elmore. Mayor Hackett sent Elmore a letter congratulating him for being selected by the Memphis magazine in 1983 as 100 most influential Memphians.
Elmore met with the President of “Black Entertainment Television” Bob Johnson to get his fights shown on B.E.T. Elmore brought in boxing champion Sugar Leonard to support his B.E.T. Telecast. Unknown and untold Elmore embarked on a task that would shut down Elmore’s media attention in Memphis. Elmore wrote, produced, directed and starred in Memphis 1st Independent 35mm Film production.
Via high insight Elmore came to realize that Memphis Film Commissioner Linn Sitler used her function and authority to make sure that Elmore’s story being Memphis 1st Independent 35mm Theatrical Filmmaker went untold in Memphis.
Linn Sitler never visited the film set, when the film premiered she did not attend the premier. Linn Sitler made sure the film got a negative review and no film coverage in Memphis. In 2007 Linn Sitler and the Shelby County Historical Commission erroneously erected a historical Marker at G.E. Patterson and Main Street that names the 1989 White Film Release “Mystery Train” as Memphis 1st Independent film ignoring the fact that the 1988 Elmore Black film “The Contemporary Gladiator” premiered before the August 4, 1988 shooting start of Mystery Train.
Elmore saving grace was the L.A. Times which published about the film’s production starting date November 22, 1987. While Elmore’s film was unknown and untold in Memphis Elmore received a hero’s welcome in Kenya in 1990. In 1992 Elmore met with the late Kenya President Moi who named Elmore an African Ambassador.
Elmore in Memphis faced not only White on Black Racism, Elmore faced Black on Black racism. In 1992 Elmore met with his friend Memphis 1st elected African/American Mayor Dr. W.W. Herenton via an effort to arrange a family, education and trade deal with Kenya. Mayor Herenton vehemently opposed any Association with Africa. Mayor Herenton told Elmore “You Got ya Boy Steve Cohen.” Cohen is the only White elected Congressman in a majority Black district in America. Click here Congressman Cohen mentions Elmore’s work on Floor of Congress .
Elmore explains “I love NBC’s Rachael Maddow” whereas we need to bring national attention to Memphis, whereas we have a culture in Memphis whereas African/American elected officials are reluctant to acknowledge the fact that Memphis 1st Independent Feature film is a Black movie would be unfavorable to Whites.
Click here to read the October 19, 2023 News Release titled: Memphis 1st 35mm Independent Theatrical Filmmaker Elmore fights White Supremacy, Racism & Black Racism for Film Legacy.
Elmore explained that we in “Orange Mound” in Black Memphis created “The First Kickboxing Film in World History” whereas our film premiering in Kenya in 1990 leads us to the movement of us honoring Dr. King’s Legacy.
Anthony “Amp” Elmore
Orange Mound Black Memphis Hollywood
+1 901-452-4330
email us here
Memphis Kickboxing Movie connects Kennedy King and Kenya
Originally published at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/670723212/60-years-after-king-s-i-have-a-dream-speech-kickbox-champ-filmmaker-elmore-still-fighting-memphis-racial-injustice
