The Hub Entertainment Watch List: Amend: The Fight for America
As Black History month comes to an end, it is important to note some of the legal frameworks that established citizenship and rights for people of color. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, also known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were aimed at protecting the rights of the formerly enslaved after the Civil War.
The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1865 and formally abolished slavery. The 14th Amendment – which was passed in 1866 and ratified in 1868 – established African-Americans as equal citizens of the United States. The last of the Reconstruction Amendments was the 15th Amendment which was passed by Congress a year later in 1869 and ratified in 1870. The 15th amendment gave African-American men the right to vote, however, it did not outlaw literacy tests, poll taxes and other methods that would disenfranchise voters of color.
The historical documentary, Amend: The Fight for America, takes a look at the history of the fight for equal rights in America through the lens of the 14th Amendment. The six-part limited series is hosted by Will Smith, who is also an executive producer of the series, and debuted on Netflix during Black History Month 2021. The series aimed to promote progress toward the true equality promised by the 14th amendment. In addition to learning the historical context behind the battle, viewers also get to hear from figures such as Mahershala Ali, Samuel Jackson, Sherrilyn Ifill and Yara Shahidi.
The first episode of the series titled, Citizen, focuses on the time period after the end of slavery. The episode looks to famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who becomes a dominant voice in the push for citizenship for the formerly enslaved population. Once citizenship was extended to the African-American community, there of course became resistance to the movement which is examined in episode two. The second episode, Resistance, shows the ways that groups who opposed granting citizenship to African-Americans would attempt to sabotage the promises of the amendment. Episode three, Wait, studies the 1960s civil rights movement and looks at instrumental figures including Martin Luther King Jr.
Episode four, Control, puts a new spin on the 14th Amendment by taking a look at women of the 1970s who were fighting a double battle to achieve equality. The series fast forwards to modern times with episode five, Love. This episode examines the push for same-sex marriage equality based on an Ohio couple’s case that was taken up by the Supreme Court in 2015. The series concludes with the episode, Promise, and focuses on America’s relationship with migrant populations. The episode explores policies and acts of violence that have hindered immigration reform.
Ultimately, the series leaves viewers to ponder what it means to be an American while also breaking down the constitutional amendment that granted citizenship to the formerly enslaved population. When speaking on the series, Smith noted that he was “honored to present Amend: The Fight for America.” He continued on to add that he believes a deeper understanding of the amendment is critical in facilitating “desperately needed compassion and healing.”
