This semester, I am taking a course titled "History of African Americans in the Mass Media". It has proven to be one of the most interesting and enlightening classes that I have taken so far. While it is an insane amount of work, I have learned so much from becoming more aware of the black media and the history of racism and empowerment in America. Last night I watched the movie Boyz in the Hood a movie from 1991 which follows the lives of boys growing up in South Central L.A. It highlights a multitude of issues such as gangs, drugs, love, AIDs, and divorce in order to paint the realities of life in inner cities.
It has been inducted into the National Film Registry and was named as a "culturally significant" movie by the U.S. Library of Congress for its portrayal of life. While it was full of profanity and violence, I think it is a must-see. The emotions evoked - laughter, fear, and tears - are a testament to the relevance and importance it holds to everyone. At the very least, it is an effective reminder to be conscious of other's backgrounds since we can never know what it is like to have lived their life.
Listening to: "Ooh Child" The Stairsteps
Thought of the Day: "The is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know." - Harry Truman
I watched this movie for my City and Literature course I took a year or so back. Very interesting. If I remember correctly, I cried so much. Rough to watch, but very eye-opening.
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