13th (2016)

This documentary's unyielding look into the history of America's prison system reveals an institution with racism at its very roots. Framed by the statistic that a quarter of the world's prisoners are imprisoned in the United States, this deep dive examines why and how black Americans are so disproportionately represented in jails and prisons. It's a thread that hit a crescendo with America's War on Drugs, but tracing back the story further reveals a prison system that was reactionary to the progress made by the Civil Rights movement and largely informed by the slave catchers in the time before the 13th Amendment was passed.

13th is a documentary movie featuring Jelani Cobb.

13th is currently streaming on Netflix and Netflix basic with Ads.