Parents' Guide to

Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America

By Monique Jones, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Outstanding documentary on race challenges and educates.

Movie PG-13 2022 117 minutes
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

age 15+

Truthful but hard to watch, descriptions and images of violence heavy throughout

This high quality documentary has important information in it. Be aware that much of it's content is descriptions of slavery, which was a sadistic, evil, violent, oppressive and exploitative practice. The film is clear and full in its descriptions. If you are disturbed by the song about slavery in the musical 1776, this film will seriously upset you. Other content is on racist murder and violence. Many other books and movies have similar content but this film brings these themes together. It's important for people to know how horrible slavery was, and racist violence continues to be. For people extremely sensitive to descriptions and visuals of violence, especially sadistic violence, punishing violence, police violence, and violence against women and children, approach this film with caution.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This documentary is a sometimes-tough but absolutely necessary watch for people who are committed to being more socially conscious about race in the United States. Indeed, Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America is meant as a wake-up call to Americans about the truth of their country's history: Not only is racism still alive and well in the United Stats, but it's a fundamental part of the country's foundation. The film is also a call to action -- Robinson makes it clear that it's up to all Americans to stop the tide of racism in order to put the United States on a better, more equitable path.

As a speaker and presenter, Robinson is effective, engaging, and empathetic; he draws on research, interviews, and personal experience to showcase exactly why it's important to address internal biases, teach accurate history, and properly question laws. He securely guides viewers through many of the "usual suspects"-type arguments against learning about racial history by providing cold, hard facts, often pulling from documents left by the United States' founding fathers and historic notables. With his sound arguments, there's no room for denial. Who We Are is a film that should be taught in every classroom; parents who show this film to their teens will be able to facilitate their own family's personal growth through exploration, tough conversations, and personal accountability.

Movie Details

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