More Than a Month

Gr 9 Up—When Shukree Hassan Tilghman, a young African-American filmmaker wearing a sandwich-board sign saying "End Black History Month," asks people in several large Eastern cities in the U.S. to sign a petition to that effect, you can imagine that the responses will be diverse. The documentary opens with a video clip from a memorable Mike Wallace interview on Sixty Minutes in which actor Morgan Freeman states, "Black history is American history!" The filmmaker interviews family, friends, academicians, and strangers concerning their thoughts on the need for such a commemoration as well as the appropriateness of the various manners in which it is observed. Viewers are challenged to develop their own ideas about setting aside one time period for reflection as opposed to marking such remembrances throughout the year. The implication, of course, is that such a question might be posed by other ethnic groups who have days/weeks set aside for their particular heritages. While Tilghman asserts that part of his motivation stems from a quest to mold his own personal identity, that rings somewhat hollow, but is not a fatal flaw. His summation of the historical designation of Black History Month is an especially valuable segment of the program, particularly for younger viewers. The well-paced film offers optional scene selection and English-language subtitles. Of the seven bonus sections, two are particularly appealing: a simulated conversation with Martin Luther King, Jr. about his "…Dream" speech and an interview with a collector of politically incorrect historical images and objects demeaning to African Americans. This high quality and potentially useful production will be a valuable resource in helping frame the concept of Black History Month.—Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL