Mass Incarceration In The Film 13th By Ava Duvernay

277 Words2 Pages
"13th", a documentary directed by the filmmaker Ava DuVernay highlighted mass incarceration and its racial roots in society. One thing that every time period covered by the documentary had in common was the media and pop cultures shaping the portrayal of African Americans. Over time, the media and those in power have used television and more recently social media to paint African Americans as dangerous savages. Trayvon Martin murder, covered by the documentary, was a highly publicized event that highlighted some tactics the media uses to dehumanize African Americans. On many news outlets that covered the story, pictures were shown of Trayvon with his underwear out and holding up his middle fingers. This was done intentionally; it helped paint