Harvard Things to Consider Before Watching I Am Not Your Negro Discussion

the film:

1-Things to Consider Before Watching I Am Not Your Negro:

Question1: • In your opinion, why do you think some people hate other people? Where does this feeling of hatred originate?

Question 2: What is the American Dream?

2- Things to Consider After Watching I Am Not Your Negro:

Question 1: What did you notice about the title treatments throughout? How does the art direction in the titles mirror the message of the film?

Question 2: • What impact did the early representation of blacks in film have on Baldwin, specifically, Stepin Fetchit, Willie Best, Uncle Tom, and Clinton Rosemund?

Question 3: • What are the differences between one’s public persona and their private self? Why is this so?

3- Questions for Further Discussion:

Question 1: What does Baldwin mean when he uses the phrase “emotional poverty?”

4- Extension Activities: Black Lives Matter has become one of the most respected voices in what is now known as the“ new civil rights movement.” Go to www.blacklivesmatter.com/find-chapters/ , find a local Black Lives Matter chapter, and get involved in the movement.:

Question1: After exploring the website, reflect on what you learned or discovered. What is the organization’s mission statement? What is their history/background? What role does the organization play in working toward freedom and justice for people of Afrikan descent?