Courtesy: Paramount Pictures
Every February, streaming services open up their catalogues for Black History Month. Many of these films celebrate the contributions and achievements of Black Americans. Others are Bebe’s Kids.
Some films can lead to challenging conversations with your children about the reality of our society and our historic treatment of Black Americans. It’s important to have these conversations.
We need to be honest with our kids about our past and present. That said, not all children are ready for all conversations. I know my kindergartener would not be able to grasp the intent of the antagonists in a series like Roots. I can instead show her Simone Biles Rising on Netflix, Pixar’s Soul, or Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
In fact, we’ve already seen them. She didn’t have questions because she saw what she’s supposed to see: Regular people living their lives.
My second-grader is currently learning about civil rights in school. She’s ready for something deeper. Is she ready to see Kunta Kinte whipped and amputated? Probably not. But she can learn about slavery and its enduring economic, cultural, and social impact on American lives. And with my guidance, she can better understand why we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans.
I joked about Bebe’s Kids’ contributions and achievements. You might be surprised to find the critically-shelled film has many contributions and achievements. You can read up about it on my Recommendations page.
Brendan
