People are prone to prejudice, to latch on to beliefs they may have about a particular person or group and apply them broadly. In most cases, there is little basis to these preconceived notions, and they can be incredibly damaging. But there is a reason they exist, because stereotypes are perpetuated by those who wish to create divisions and impose ideas of superiority. Stamped from the Beginning examines one of the most enduring types of discrimination, racism in America, and traces its origins back hundreds of years to the arrival of enslaved people to this country.
Stamped from the Beginning examines the ways in which American society has framed Black people and ostracized them based on the color of their skin. Utilizing a combination of art, animation, and interviews, this film traces a timeline that shows the subtle and unapologetically blunt manners in which the Black community has been established as a dangerous entity, one capable of things that others couldn’t possibly do and set up for failure as a result. There is, unfortunately, an overwhelming amount of material that can’t possibly be contained within an hour and a half.
This film is an adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi’s 2023 book Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas. Director Roger Ross Williams, an Oscar winner for the documentary short Music by Prudence and a nominee for Life, Animated, proves to be an excellent choice to tackle this subject, bringing his passion for animation to a vividly interesting story made all the more lively and gripping thanks to his artistic vision. The animation and incorporation of art enhance ideas that take on an entirely different power and meaning when visualized rather than merely spoken, and the focus on female trailblazers and interview subjects is very welcome.
Media also contributes greatly to this enduring issue in America, and this film smartly assembles a selection of clips from recent films and television shows that serve to underscore the problem. King Kong is an early example, as are the animals from the Planet of the Apes franchise, of creating villains with dark skin who are evidently meant to resemble people with dark skin. A montage of white people who allegedly don’t look like criminals includes Kyle Rittenhouse, who proudly admits to his crimes yet was not convicted for them, while Amy Cooper, who infamously called the police on a Black birdwatcher in Central Park, shows just how easily those who wish to wield racist stereotypes can do so.
This film also includes examples that show that there are those who are learning – and trying to educate. Clips from Sorry to Bother You and Abbott Elementary poke fun at the concepts of using a “white voice” to seem more palatable to those who are far too eager to judge those who speak differently from them and the desire to be a “white savior” and bring enlightenment and hope to a community that has been historically painted as impoverished and incapable. Those moments aren’t meant to indicate levity, but rather to demonstrate that there is a way to engage with ideas that may be hard for some audiences to handle that isn’t overwhelmed with seriousness and guilt.
Stamped from the Beginning is available to stream on Netflix and has been recently shortlisted for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar, which means that audiences should have an easy time accessing it. It’s an extremely important film whose contents shouldn’t be groundbreaking but may be incredibly enlightening and game-changing to those who have never stopped to consider what it is that people mean when they talk about systemic racism. This presentation is equally creative and educational, and should prove impactful and difficult to forget for anyone who watches it.
Grade: B+
Check out more of Abe Friedtanzer’s articles.
Stamped from the Beginning is streaming on Netflix.