“The Role of Historical Films in Shaping Contemporary Debates on Affirmative Action”

Imagine the following conversation among two students in Communication 141 following one of
the class sessions:
FIRST STUDENT:
“The two segments of Eyes on the Prize and Sankofa all gave us a pretty powerful view of how bad
racism and racial violence have been in America. I’m really glad that we’ve made such enormous
progress since those times. We have people of color in many prominent positions of power and
authority and economic and social opportunities are getting better every year. I know that problems
remain, but we’re an optimistic country. Our Supreme Court had decided to end affirmative action
programs now and I agree. It’s time to look forward, not backward. These films are valuable to
give us historical perspective and inspire us for the future, not to mold public policy for the present.
The last thing we need now is reverse racism!” 
SECOND STUDENT:
“I really disagree with you. All three of these films absolutely gave us a view of historical racism
and racial violence in America. But I think your conclusion is way off base! The films, to me,
show how this long racist history has been and makes me think about how it still persists, even
though some progress has seen made. It still requires present-day action like affirmative action,
despite what the Supreme Court says, to give disadvantaged groups, like many people of color,
some preferential treatment in jobs and admissions in order to compete equally and fairly. These
films should help us mold public policy for right now!”
The films “Awakening,” “Fighting Back,” and “Sankofa” all address the longer history of racism in
America. 
PROMPT: Respond to the conversations of the two students. Where do you stand and why? What
impact, if any, should these films have on affirmative action or similar debates on contemporary
public policy? Whatever your view, not limited to the choices above, show what impact the films
may have on contemporary debates. As usual, you should make appropriate references to scenes,
characters, and issues in the films. You may also use other examples from history and the present.
-Refer to the following episodes from “Eyes on the prize” to support argument:
1: “Awakening,” 2: “Fighting Back,” and 3: “Sankofa” all from “Eyes on the Prize (a docuseries about American civil rights movement)
-make it 2-3 body paragraphs, with an introduction and concluding paragraph. 
-you can also use historical and present examples to support your argument