| Abstract: | Sub-cultural groups that depend on a historical account to validate their thoughts and practices may need to revise and repair those accounts as changing circumstances present new issues affecting them. The year 2013 gave us three movies that dealt with racism, mobility, and political action: Lee Daniels’ The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. All based on autobiographical accounts of the real life experiences of the authors, they present a theme of contrast between brutal oppression and benign inclusion. The pattern differs from the popular version of the American Dream, and the movies are grim, provocative documents during a period of apparent African American progress and achievement. |
