The documentary “13th,” directed by Ava DuVernay, provides an in-depth exploration of the Thirteenth Amendment and its implications on the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States. This amendment was created to abolish slavery, however, as the film highlights, there are exceptions to this clause, most notably the fact that slavery is prohibited except as punishment for a crime My reflection on the thirteenth documentary offered an in-depth understanding of how today's prison and labor systems can be seen as continuations of historical practices similar to slavery, especially when viewed in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. Say No to Plagiarism Get a custom essay on “Why Video Games violent should not be banned"? Get original essay Slavery was abolished for everyone except criminals; as a result, a person of color can be enslaved again, which DuVernay shows how slavery is still present in our practices today since the end of the American Civil War, actions such as criminalizing behavior and allowing the police to arrest poor freedmen is an example of this. Likewise, African Americans have been arrested for things like loitering, which shows how there is a disconnect in our justice systems. In this film they describe how mass incarceration in the prison system presents a negative reaction to the civil rights movement. The prison system continues to be racist and violent, in ways that are constantly evolving and not necessarily improving. From the 1940s the number of prisoners increased and continues to this day. It is sad to see that the more protests for rights increase, the harder the political system reacts in their defense. They do everything to punish black people, finding the most absurd reasons to do so, with imprisonment. 13 demonstrates that criminalization continues to be a part of our society today and has been a constant feature of racism. One of the facts that really struck me in the film was that “1 in 3 African Americans will go to prison in their lifetime, while 1 in 17 white Americans will go to prison.” There is a drastic difference in numbers between the two races, demonstrating how unfair the criminal justice system is and how racism is still strongly present. Something interesting to note was the narrative aspect in this documentary. The use of storytelling helped bring to life the reality of the legacy that the Thirteenth Amendment and slavery have in Black communities and how that is still very visible today. This method ultimately re-educated American society and challenged white America's notions of democracy, justice, and equality. In the film, Malcom There are many history lessons in this film that I believe serve as a wake-up call for America and for us to reclaim the humanity and rights that have been historically abandoned. Some might even argue that we do not commit unspeakable atrocities today, however, the past has a way of informing the present. Even if we don't intentionally go out of our way to dehumanize African Americans or prisoners, in some ways we continue to do so in earnest, and even more so, when the media exploits these black men. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay This film reveals a lot, at the same time, it makes its way to the current situation and heartbreaking moments of African Americans killed by law enforcement.