500 Years Later
The film that I chose to watch for this media blog is called “500 Years Later” This film was published on October 11, 2005 by Owen ‘Alik Shahadah. The Film studies the African diaspora and the impact of slavery throughout history, identifying key issues facing the world’s black communities, including poor education, poverty, crime, and the way that such issues dehumanize and degrade black peoples. The film also gives insight into the struggles faced by continental Africans today, for instance in terms of poverty, disease, and corrupt governments. While the continuing negative impact, influence, and effects of the trans-Atlantic slave trade are highlighted, scholars interviewed for the film express hope that “old scars can be healed” and Africans as a race will advance through education about their history. The film gave knowledge on how inadequately African Americans have been treated consistently and it hasn’t beaten that. It demonstrated the day by day battles of African Americans from subjugation, lynching, isolation, and then some. It additionally talked about how life really was after the Civil War. It was very enlightening to me since it genuinely gave a comprehension on how unreasonable and degenerate our criminal system is. A central issue talked about in the narrative was Jim Crow laws. As we have talked about in the readings, Jim Crow laws sanctioned racial isolation. A lasting example of the stereotypes referenced in the film is a study performed in which black children were given a variety of dolls, including black and white ones, and were told to pick the “smarter” or “better” one. A majority of the black children chose the white dolls. Many of those interviewed believe that a distinct change to the educational system is necessary to change the mindset of people of African descent. The film affirms that “the kind of education that we have is to still enslave our minds, to make us believe we are inferior.” Education should be the main weapon for the new generations of Africans and African descendants, to remind the world of the richness and struggle of African history.
The film demonstrated the awful occasions of isolation and how individuals of color were not permitted schooling, sea shores, on transports, and that’s just the beginning. “Individuals of color in this country should manage the cost of a similar security, wellbeing, and occasion to flourish as any other person. Yet, that won’t occur until we defy our set of experiences and focus on drawing in the past that keeps on frequenting us,” (Davis 2018). This statement has adhered to me since it shows that even in the wake of viewing the narrative, African Americans actually don’t have the equity that they need and the security like each American deserves to have. I likewise accept this statement is genuine in light of the fact that with the end goal for there to be equity, we should examine the horrendous occasions that occurred in our past to understand that everybody should be equivalent regardless of what the shade of your skin is or what identity you are. African Americans being imprisoned at in excess of multiple times the pace of whites has a major association from the battle on medications. As talked about in class, public information on utilization of medications propose whites are almost certain than either African Americans or Hispanics to have ever utilized an assortment of medications, yet state examiners are bound to allude racial minorities to the government system for arraignment available to be purchased of rocks and sentences were a lot harsher under administrative law for them. This returns me to the episode with Clarence Aaron in our perusing, Policing the Black Man.
Aaron was a dark undergrad who had no criminal record and was available for the offer of cocaine and was paid by the seller. Aaron was affirmed in court and he was condemned to three terms of life detainment in government jail. This narrative identified with Aaron’s circumstance in our perusing from various perspectives. It demonstrated how inconsistent blacks are dealt with regards to the battle on medications. It additionally demonstrated how cruel their disciplines are contrasted with whites. As the narrative depicted it as whites simply getting a “token punishment” with regards to getting in a tough situation with drugs. All in all, this film was very educational. I would suggest it not just for the understanding on the set of experiences that is examined in the film, however for an acknowledgment on mass detainment and African Americans everyday lives on the planet and in jails. Has this been going on for quite a long time, yet it’s actually occurring in the present society. This narrative caused me to acknowledge how we as a general public need to cooperate and make a superior evening out on the planet for all races.
Raunya Mitchell
References:
https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/resgest9&div=4&id=&page=
https://humanrights.iowa.gov/cas/saa/african-american-culture-history/jim-crow-laws