An Outrage
An Outrage, a documentary film by Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren, addresses the dark and painful history of lynching in the American South. Set against a backdrop of six lynching sites, An Outrage looks at this history through the eyes of community activists, scholars and the descendants of victims. These interviewees highlight the deep, lasting effects of lynchings—used as a tool of social control and racial violence against African Americans for close to a century following the Civil War—and their connections to the present. Historian Yohuru Williams says, “My parents grew up in the shadow of Emmett Till. I grew up in the shadow of Yusef Hawkins. My son will grow up in the shadow of James Byrd and Trayvon Martin.” Teaching Tolerance is the K–12 distributor of An Outrage and offers an accompanying viewer’s guide. (33 min.)
high school
From Damascus to Chicago
Colleen Cassingham and Alex Lederman’s short documentary From Damascus to Chicago focuses on two Syrian siblings, 10-year-old Retaj and 7-year-old Akram. They are refugees who resettled in Chicago with their parents, also featured in the film. Retaj and Akram are enrolled in a dance program for Syrian refugee children who have been in the United States for less than a year. The siblings prepare for a dance recital, which helps them acclimate to Chicago, improve their English language skills and have fun at the same time. From Damascus to Chicago highlights the importance of community-based networks and programs that welcome and support refugees. (12 min.)
elementary school
Loving
Loving, written and directed by Jeff Nichols, is a feature film about the real-life couple Richard and Mildred Loving. After facing harassment, arrest and jail time for their interracial marriage, the Lovings are banished by court order from their home state of Virginia for 25 years. They move their family to Washington, D.C. It is here, after Mildred pens a letter to Attorney General Robert Kennedy, that the Lovings somewhat reluctantly became the faces of a U.S. Supreme Court case about anti-miscegenation laws. Their landmark victory in Loving v. Virginia—50 years ago this year—struck down bans on interracial marriage in 16 states, including Virginia, and paved the way for other marriage equality rulings. (123 min.)
middle and high school
Muslim Students in America
In Teaching Tolerance’s short film Muslim Students in America, four young people share their personal perspectives on what it means to be Muslim. Rebutting a common, harmful image of Islam as a hateful, violent religion, the students affirm the meaning of Islam—“peace”—as they describe how their faith encourages them to practice kindness and empathy. They also discuss the adversity they face because of their religious identity and the need for allies to speak up against anti-Muslim hate and prejudice. One interviewee, high school student Saria, says, “It would honestly change many people’s lives if kids were taught that Muslims … are pretty nice and honest and kind.” (4 min.)
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