History is something that we can’t get rid of and we learn about it to better ourselves and our future. The 13th is a brutal realist documentary by Ana DuVernay that needed to be shown.

In Colorado there was an Amendment T, which was voted on. Voting yes meant supporting the removal to part of the Colorado Constitution that allows forced, unpaid slavery and labor by convicted criminals. Voting no meant opposing the proposal and leaving the constitution unchanged allowing the slave labor for convicted criminals.

The documentary highlighted the history and root of the 13th amendment. The 13th amendment reads, “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, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” It was the amendment that “abolished slavery.”

The film shows that slavery was actually never abolished and the amendment has created more problems than end.

The documentary began with the statistic: “One out of four African-American males will serve prison time at one point or another in their lives.” That’s a disheartening fact knowing that black men make up less than 6% of the nation.

The film includes statistics, facts, and acknowledgements which has been caused by the dehumanization of people of color.

Problems like mass incarceration, the increase in black men in prison after slavery ended because of slave labor, and the statistic that blacks receive 60% longer sentences than white Americans who commit the same crime were brought up. The documentary also touched on the war on drugs phenomenon started by Richard Nixon which targeted predominantly black neighborhoods and they brought drugs to those communities. It also touched on some of the negative rhetoric used by Bill Clinton and the drug war along with the negative rhetoric Donald Trump used which puts people of color and others in harms way.

The documentary featured political figures like Newt Gingrich (a major Republican leader), Van Jones (political activist and CNN commentator), Angela Davis (political activist), David Keene (former republican political adviser), Henry Louis Gates Jr (public intellectual), Cory Booker (U.S senator), and others.

Honestly, it was a very great film that wasn’t overwhelming in any aspect. Terms can be used to describe it such as “woke” or “powerful” and many other words and phrases but I wouldn’t be able to list everything it brought out of me. I was shocked, sad, impacted, and it just opened a new door for me. Everyone should see it, I give it a 10/10. If you’re afraid that it’s bias, it truly provides different perspectives, giving the ultimate truth.

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 96%, IMDb gave it an 8.4/10, and I give it a 99% or a 10/10.

If you want to be forever impacted it’s a must see!