Black History Month is more than just a celebratory month for people who have made it far despite the deeply integrated systemic barriers they have faced. However, Black History Month is also a time to appreciate, to listen and hear our the truth of history and how history shapes the reality of today. 13th is a documentary that takes a look at the history of racial inequality as represented by the social events and government policies in the US. By taking a look at the 13th Amendment and a deeper look into the disproportionate prison system, the film reflects  the system today and how it is still reflective of the hundreds of years of racism and discrimination that black people have faced and continue to face behind the scenes.
The film already reflects its truth by stating at the beginning: ““Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The naked truth of the system today is made apparent, not only by tracing the history of racism, but by tracking down where in government policies and actions the racism is still prevalent. Needless to say, 13th is a powerful documentary that addresses the racial issues that America is facing in 2016. In an era of polarised attitudes toward mass incarceration, brutality, and the proliferation of for-profit prisons and their affiliates. Ava DuVernay interviews a variety of people including and not limited to social activists, academics, journalists, and political figures to argue that today’s prisons, which house millions of people of colour, are simply the next incarnation of the centuries-old exploitation that has long since existed in the US. Th  epic film is not for the faint of heart, relying on archival footage and a clearly developed historical narration to bolster her case. The violence depicted emphasises actual beatings, murders, deaths from point-blank gunshots, lynchings, and the profound intimidation and caging of both individuals and large groups of African Americans. Incendiary language as well as discussions of rape and sexual assault, contribute to the story’s impact.
The Atlantic took the liberty to have a conversation with DuVernay, and various others to take a closer look at how the film addresses making the reality apparent and clear:
“Juleyka Lantigua-Williams (interviewer from the Atlantic): A lot of the film is about questioning definitions of things and questioning the way that things are labeled. What is a person? What is property? What is an enslaved person? Is he really free? What is a minor crime? Listening to it as I’m watching it, I’m hearing emphasis on the duality, on who gets to name things. Were you trying to create that?
Ava DuVernay (director): Identification, labels, how those very things have worked against us. Who is the criminal? Why do we think that? Do you understand the architecture around an idea that you hold in your head? The design of it, the very construction of it is most likely not truly yours but something that was given to you. The idea you have in your head was not built by you per se, but built by preconceived notions that were passed down generation after generation. The very ideas that we hold in our head are for someone’s profit and political gain. That stuff really trips me out. It makes me want to really interrogate what I think, read more deeply, understand more deeply. Rethink everything that I think, challenge myself. Do I think that? Or do I think what someone wants me to think of that? That’s what we try to excavate in the doc.”
I watched the movie in school. Our teacher stopped the movie at various intervals to emphasize the reality of each situation and warn us about explicit scenes. And while watching the movie an important fact that became apparent to me that all the kids in our class, besides me and a few others were white. Some went as far to go on their phones. And thus the emphasis on the privilege of ignorance was visible inside just one classroom of 20 or so kids. The students of colour who had been subject to various harsh realities took it upon themselves to pay attention. Others contributed to learning about the significance of the movie and integrated system. And some who were blinded with the privilege of never facing discrimination that was racially biased, and an active part of their ancestral history. They could ignore the reality that coursed through, disdainfully in the societal systems that surround us without a second thought. It mimicked what would have been a reflection of history, many people whether actually racist or not did not take the opportunity to defend the people facing discrimination. The privilege of not facing the oppression was enough to keep them quiet and obedient to societal norms even throughout history. Thus, we can understand how relevant the education becomes. People who are willfully ignorant could be bystanders to discrimination that black people have faced and continue to face.
Though horrifying and disturbing, the 13th displays the naked truth to the world. Black history month is about that: celebrating those who rose to success despite the history. And recognizing that while the prevalently obvious harsh history is in the past, the reality that people face today is a reflection of that very same history. We are not taught explicitly the extent to which racism is prevalent in our society, we are not educated enough on the downsides and instead pushed into oblivion with lighthearted facts. To understand truly how phenomenal the celebrations of the success of black people in society today is, and the substantial effects of black history month in lifting black people into the spotlight we must also understand where the history has come from. We must understand the extent to which their ancestors have suffered for the sake of their success today.
To read more about the interview with the Atlantis:
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/10/ava-duvernay-13th-netflix/503075/
