13TH

13th is an incredibly well researched documentary by filmmaker Ava DuVernay. She helps to break down the institutionalized racism within the United States and how that affects the disproportionate population of minorities, especially African Americans, in the prison system. 

It was compelling in detailing how the people in power have oppressed minorities for hundreds of years. It shows how easy the passing of the 13th amendment turned slaves into criminals. The documentary addresses laws that were dressed up a certain way but were really just ways of further disenfranchise the minorities in this country. They talk about the rise of the KKK and Jim Crowe laws, the way the FBI and other police sects would attack any minority political figure during the Civil Rights Movement all the way to the current state of the prison system and how Ronald Regan and the Clintons made it even easier to put minorities into prison for minor crimes. They also found ways to monetize the system thus making it even more lucrative to imprison minorities.

The documentary was easy to follow and engaging. Although what I saw was incredibly overwhelming, disheartening and depressing, I’m glad that it was brought to light. Hopefully documentaries like this will help to wake some people up and encourage more discussions on ending institutionalized racism and making some real change on prison reform. This is definitely a documentary that I think that everyone should see.