First, let me say that I have never been so profoundly moved by a documentary. And never before have I been ashamed to be white. My ancestor’s history, in many ways, is simply appalling and I am embarrassed to share that history which was so graphically painted in the new film “I Am Not Your Negro.” I do not want to be connected with that sordid history, but because of my skin color, I am. However, I hope that by drawing attention to films such as this, I can do my part in making things just a little bit better. I cannot change what happened in America’s past and I can never make that right, but I will try my best to act in kind ways to all people, always.
Renowned author, James Baldwin and writer/director Raoul Peck have created what might be the most poignant and timely documentaries in history. Prejudice and racism, unfortunately, are a part of o
ur everyday conversations and “I Am Not Your Negro” examines the roads we have traveled to get to where we are. The film recounts our nation’s history, slavery, and the country’s recent past perception of African-Americans in the United States. Samuel L. Jackson narrates these frequently unsettling and always passionate scenes in the eloquently poetic words of Baldwin and Peck. Using archival film footage, illustrations, and interviews, we understand the timeline and the fight for social justice with heroes such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers, the civil rights activist and member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
The picture “I Am Not Your Negro” paints is a very clear one with the sharp edges of our past and our possible future as well. It is based on f
actual information and punctuates the historical events such as the assassination of Dr. King and the murder of Evers accompanied by Baldwin’s bold and daring statements, bringing to the forefront what most want to sweep under the rug: our society has and continues to act in horrifyingly prejudicial ways. The images are disturbing, watching young men and women not just being verbally accosted, but beaten and kicked just for being of a different race. The societal pressures that generations had to endure are simply heartbreaking and continue to be.
“I Am Not Your Negro” is beautifully crafted, creating an amalgam of images and voices, to tell this poignantly overwhelmi
ng and emotional story. The film’s first scene is enough to take your breath away, like a solid punch to the gut. The rest of the film grips you firmly, if not shaking you, bringing you into a world that perhaps you previously shut your eyes to. While much of this film takes us back to the 1960’s, it is indeed one that is relevant to today. This film is a message to today’s America.
It became extremely clear to me that it is truly a message that needs to be heard as immediately after seeing this emotionally wrought film full of prejudice and acts of violence against someone just because of their skin color, I was faced with a very disturbing situation…one that I had never observed in my 52 years. I coincidentally had a meeting with a civil rights attorney that day. While waiting for him, I was confronted with two self-proclaimed wealthy, middle-aged white men who, after learning I was a film critic, proceeded to talk about the race issue in the Oscar nominations last year. What they said left me speechless. Their ignorance cut me to the core and my attempts to share my thoughts, which were contradictory to theirs, fell on deaf ears. Their bold and unapologetic racist comments left me even more ashamed, but they also awakened me to the fact that I must do better to stand up for others, even when those others are not present. Ignorance is not bliss…it is the very tool to which our country might fall. As Baldwin said, “The future of the negro in this country is precisely as bright or as dark as the future of our country.”
“I Am Not Your Negro” is a film that has changed my life and my everyday perceptions. It has opened my eyes to a recent history that is set on a course to repeat itself. It’s one of the most powerful and relevant films of the decade.