This week, we wanted to highlight a series of films, documentaries and TV series that you can watch to further educate yourself on Black oppression and why the Black Lives Matter movement is so important.
Detroit
Based on the Algiers Motel incident during Detroit’s 1967 12th Street Riot, the film’s release commemorated the 50th anniversary of the event. In the film, we see how a civil unrest arises after the Detroit Police Department launches a raid on a group of African-Americans. The public anger reaches its peak as the officials respond with retribution than justice.
The Hate U Give
Starr Carter, an African-American teenager, faces pressure from various communities and tries to stand up for what is right after she witnesses the shooting of her best friend by the police. Based on the young-adult novel of the same name, this film is a useful tool for introducing conversations about racism and police brutality with younger audiences.
Explained: The Facial Wealth Gap
Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap. You can watch the full episode above.
When They See Us
In 1989 a jogger was assaulted and raped in New York’s Central Park, and five young people were subsequently charged with the crime. The quintet, who were labeled as the Central Park Five, maintained its innocence and spent years fighting the convictions, hoping to be exonerated. This limited series spans from when the teens were first questioned about the incident in the spring of 1989, going through their exoneration in 2002 and ultimately the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014.
13th
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. You can now watch the full feature on Youtube.
