More often than not the most compelling stories are true stories. And despite what we would like to believe, the education most of us were given was limited. There are so many different parts of history, even here in our own country, that is often left out of books and brushed aside. Thankfully, thanks to historians a lot of these stories are coming to the surface and being examined more.
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America is bringing to light not only personal stories for Jeffery Robinson on his growing up in Memphis, but stories of other Black Americans we may have only heard about or didn’t hear of at all. The documentary shines a light on the disservice the modern education system has done in teaching us about different parts of history but also how the system was made to keep Black citizens in a specific box, both literally and figuratively.
The stories Robinson tells are compelling, with the documentary showing a talk he gave back in 2019 cut with footage with personal interviews. From his childhood experiences and even featuring friends he grew up with, to people who were active in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and people who are making a difference today. While it seems like a lot may have changed on the surface – there is still a long way to go for equality for Black and people of color in our country.
The movie highlights a lot of the issues with racism from the past, and even ones that are relevant today. It is eye-opening to see how systems have been created to perpetuate racism and continue the pattern into the future. The past always informs the future, and hopefully with documentaries like Who We Are, we can start breaking those cycles. It’s an important piece of work and highlights just what needs to change. It can help give an inside view of the Black Experience growing up in America and what still needs to change – even after all these years.
Who we are will be in select theaters nationwide. It is opening in Detroit on February 4th. Be sure to grab your tickets for this thought-provoking documentary.
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About Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
(Opens in NY/LA on 1/14, Opens in Detroit 2/4) Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, in WHO WE ARE — A Chronicle of Racism in America, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America.
Directed by Emily Kunstler & Sarah Kunstler(SONY PICTURES CLASSICS)
Rated PG-13
