Common Assignment & Research Questions

This inspirational documentary is about a band of courageous civil-rights activists calling themselves the Freedom Riders. Gaining impressive access to influential figures on both sides of the issue, it chronicles a chapter of American history that stands as an astonishing testament to the accomplishment of youth and what can result from the incredible combination of personal conviction and the courage to organize against all odds.

Beah Richards (1920-2000), actress-poet-activist, shares her wit and wisdom about her life as a black woman in America.

Vols. 1-3 tell the story of America's civil rights years from 1954 to 1965; vols. 4-7 examine the new America from 1966 to 1985, from community power to the human alienation of urban poverty.

Documentary about the case of Richard & Mildred Loving, a white man & a black woman who were convicted by the state of Virginia for the crime of marrying across racial lines in the late 1950s.

On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown vs. Board of Education that the concept of "separate but equal" school segregation was unconstitutional. Director Peter Gilbert explores the history and legacy of the legal decision.

The 1960s was defined by a common effort to fight against injustice. Mike Gray, a Chicago filmmaker, used his camera to document the politics of the streets from the riots in the social upheaval, to the rising of two prolific groups fighting prejudice.

This program discusses the nature of prejudice and its effects on individuals and society. The program includes a historical overview of prejudice and definitions of key terms such as discrimination and bigotry. Interviews provide insight into different kinds of prejudices and stereotypes.

Bad economic times, traditional prejudices, and the turf mentality have recently led to a disturbing increase of "hate" crimes across America. These crimes are aimed at Blacks, Jews and Asians, particularly Indians, are usually racially motivated and frequently involve gangs of teen-agers. This film focuses on a series of violent crimes recently committed against the members of the Indian community in Jersey City, New Jersey by local bigots and red-necks. Includes comments by local teenagers who condone such crimes and a concluding discussion about the motivations which foster them.

Two documentary films about the American Nazi party and its leader Frank Collin.

A history of American Indian tribes in the Northwest United States.

The story of sculptor John Houser's dream to build the world's tallest bronze equestrian statue for El Paso, Texas, to memorialize the Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate and to honor the contributions of Hispanic people in the American West. But Native Americans are outraged, remembering Oñate as the man who brought genocide, cut off their feet, and sold their children into slavery. As El Paso divides along lines of race and class, Houser must face the moral implications of his work.

They were given names like Flatheads, Big Bellies and Pierced Noses, but they called themselves "the People", "Upright Persons", and "ourselves". Get acquainted with the perspective of 20 men and women representing ten tribes who live along the old trails followed by Lewis & Clark.

In 1805, a group of explorers led by Lewis & Clark traveled through Indian Country. Native American people, with their knowledge of nature and their generosity, made the expedition possible. Today, after two centuries of dramatic change to their lands, Native Americans continue to teach us profound lessons about the route of Lewis & Clark and the future of North America.

Documentary film about Mexican farm workers and their struggle to cross the U.S. border into Arizona.

By means of historic footage plus dramatized reenactments, traces the history of Chinese immigration to the United States, especially the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943 which resulted in the detention of Chinese immigrants at the Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay. Parts filmed at Angel Island State Park.

The program exposes the tension between pluralistic and hard-liner mentalities growing within the Muslim world, and concludes that moderation and tolerance, rather than zealotry and terror, will ensure the continued strength of the faith.

Comedian and TV host Bill Maher takes a pilgrimage across the globe on a mind-opening journey into the ultimate taboo: questioning religion. Meeting the high and low from different religions, Maher asks questions, like 'Why is faith good?' and more.

This fascinating three-part series examines the historical relationship between militarism and strictly interpreted religion. With penetrating scholarly analysis and an energetic visual style, The Holy Wars provides a wide-ranging perspective on orthodoxy, empire, cultural domination, and the resistance they can incite.

They were billed as the 'Olympics of Peace and Joy' but became the Olympics of terror--Munich 1972. An extreme Palestinian group called Black September held 11 Israeli athletes hostage in the Olympic village while the world looked on, incredulous. Using extraordinary archive footage, music and interviews with those who took part (including the only surviving member of the Black September group), "One day in September" tells the dramatic story of what happened in Munich during those 21 hours.

The precarious hopes and daily struggles of Gaza strip residents are documented in this compelling program, which focuses on the 2003 summer ceasefire: a chapter of Israeli-Palestinian history filled with American ambivalence, disappointing prisoner releases, and the eventual disintegration of the ceasefire itself. A pacifist Gazan artist, his militant-minded son, and the pragmatic widow of a Hamas extremist all contribute to this street-level exploration of the summer's event, shedding light on the human and political consequences of the Israeli occupation, and clearly illustrating why Palestinian despair surpasses optimism.

It used to be considered one of America's top enemies. Now, surprisingly, it may represent the best hope for democratic government in the Gulf region. This ABC News program takes viewers on a rare trip inside Iran to study Iranian society in flux...a culture moving away from theocracy toward democracy.

This program explores how close Pakistan and India came to nuclear weapons use at the time of the Kargil conflict based on firsthand accounts of citizens, armies, and government officials.

A tour of post 911 Pakistan, where economic and social distress is fueled by anti-western Islamic fundamentalism, making the country a precarious ally in the "war on terrorism." The tense political climate is complicated by Pakistan's possession of capable nuclear weapons.

Every year, over a hundred young people from 70 countries across the Islamic world arrive in Cairo to compete in the world's oldest and most prestigious Koran reciting contest. In this 80-minute documentary, three 10-year old children leave their native countries to participate in one of the Islamic world's most famous competitions, a test of memory and recitation known as The International Holy Koran Competition.