Parents' Guide to Black Boys

This intelligent documentary offers an in-depth look into what it really means to be a Black man in America. It deconstructs conventional stereotypes that continue to perpetuate things like the White commodification of the Black body through sports, the justification of violence against Black men by law enforcement, and the systematic creation of opportunity gaps due to a lack of public funding and other support for majority-Black school districts. The film explores the impact these issues have on how Black boys see themselves, how they build self-confidence, and their ability to understand that their choices are not as limited as society makes them out to be.

Black Boys discusses the systematic reinforcement of Whiteness in the United States, and offers this conversation within the context of showing how Black men living in this country have to think about their Blackness in every aspect of their lives because of it. The need to make White people feel comfortable with their presence is also underscored. But it's the earnest comments made by the Black teens that are the most powerful. They reveal how they are simultaneously building and limiting their hopes for the future in a society that is often unreceptive or hostile towards them simply due to the color of their skin. It's an insightful documentary, and one that calls for more awareness about how racism persists in America, and why it's important for everyone to be part of the conversation.