Movies
Fight for Equality/Justice
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The Mauritanian
The true story of a Guantanamo Bay prisoner falsely accused of terrorism. Looks at the violation of rule of law 12 Years a Slave
Based on the memoir of Solomon Northup who was born free in New York and was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South |
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The Free State of Jones
Based on the true story of Newton Knight who created an armed revolt within Confederate territory during the Civil War |
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Mississippi Burning
A fictional look at the experiences of those trying to investigate the real killings of civil rights workers |
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Invictus
Looks at the experiences of Nelson Mandela as he takes power in post-Apartheid South Africa (focused around the Rugby World Cup) |
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Selma
Dramatization of the voting rights marches and the televised police violence that changed American's attitudes |
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Hidden Figures
The experiences of women of color experiencing discrimination despite being integral parts of the US space mission |
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Iron Jawed Angels
Historical drama on the experiences of women fighting for women's suffrage |
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On the Basis of Sex
Ruth Bader Ginsberg finds a way to get the Supreme Court to agree with ending discrimination on the basis of sex |
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Philadelphia
A groundbreaking movie looking at the fight for rights for people with AIDS |
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In the Name of the Father
An excellent film looking at the life of an Irish man framed by the government for terrorism |
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A heartwarming story
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The First Grader
The story of 84 year old Kimani Maruge who attends primary school when Kenya announces free education, Includes history of Kenya. |
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Forrest Gump
The lighthearted story of a character that lives through the key events of the Cold War |
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The Birdcage
A fun film that is a remake of the 1978 Franco-Italian film La Cage aux Folles. Explores the common prejudices against the LGBTQ+ community in the 1990s |
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Amelie
Such a sweet movie that follows the imagination of Amelie (and started the idea of the Roaming Gnome) |
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History
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Empire of the Sun
The story of a British boy living in Asia and being put into a POW camp during World War Two |
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The Imitation Game
Alan Turing is a brilliant mathematician who helps break the enigma code, but is discriminated against for his lifestyle choices |
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Schindler's List
A groundbreaking movie in its ability to convey the horror of the Nazi Holocaust |
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The Killing Fields
Set in the Khmer Rouge rule in Cambodia; demonstrates the atrocities of Pol Pot |
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We Were Soldiers
Highlights the experiences of soldiers in the Vietnam War and their families back in the US |
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Charlie Wilson's War
Entertaining exploration of the covert war in Afghanistan in the 1980s |
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Hotel Rwanda
Depicts the Rwandan genocide with a focus on the human story |
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Blood Diamonds
An action film looking at the impact of Western society on conflicts in Africa |
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V for Vendetta
A dystopian view of government control (based on DC comic, similar to the book 1984) |
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TV/Streaming
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PBS Command and Control: Broken Arrows
(American Experience) Exposes the number of close misses to accidental nuclear weapon explosions in the US |
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30 for 30
A series of documentaries that brings sports and Social Studies together |
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Netflix Explained
Explores various topics including the racial wealth gap, why women get paid less, the world's water crisis and why diets don't work |
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Netflix History 101
Short documentaries that look at topics including fast food, plastics and AIDS |
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13th Looks at the history of incarceration and involuntary servitude in the US, from slavery to the prison corporations today |
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Level Playing Field (HBO)
Similar to 30 for 30 - looks at the issues we discuss in Social Studies through a sports lens |
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Various Ken Burns Documentaries
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The Crown
While some is fiction, there is a good overview of the history of the monarchy |
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Anthony Bourdain Shows
- cooking shows with a mix of travel, culture and history
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Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America (PBS)
Looks at how transportation, from the slave trade era to today, has impacted Black people in the United States |
