University News

Ava DuVernay's Documentary '13th'

March 3, 2017

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University will show Ava DuVernay's documentary, "13th." The documentary will be shown at 3 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, in the Sandburg Theatre. There will be a brief discussion after the conclusion of the 3 p.m. showing.

The documentary chronicles the fallout from the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment, ratified in 1865, purported to end slavery and DuVernay argues the amendment has allowed the enslavement of thousands of people since its adoption. DuVernay's focus of the documentary is the "history of systems of racial control from the years after the abolition of slavery all the way to George Zimmerman's speaking to a police dispatcher about the 17 year old Trayvon Martin" (Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 2016).

DuVernay interviews experts to get a detailed view of modern day slavery. She interviews Michelle Alexander, the author of "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" and Bryan Stevenson, author of "Just Mercy." The "13th" film features an in-depth conversation with former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich about racial issues in America.

According to Professor Peter Cole, of the WIU Department of History, "the director interweaves the voices of her interviewees with carefully researched archival footage into a skillfully conceived whole, making a forceful argument for her position."

The 3 p.m. screening of the film will be introduced by Cole; he and Professor Erik Brooks will lead a brief discussion at the film's conclusion.

Sponsors of this event are the Center for Innovative Teaching and Research (CITR), the Expanding Cultural Diversity Project, the WIU departments of history and political science, the Office of Public Safety (OPS) and the University Diversity Council.

Contact Jan Welsh for questions regarding the event at JR-Welsch@wiu.edu.

For more information about DuVernay's documentary "13th," or to view her work visit avaduvernay.com/13th/.

Posted By: Nicholas Doty (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing