Educational Media Reviews Online

What exactly is race? What is the difference between a biological and a social view of race? How did American’s racialized society evolve? Race - The Power of an Illusion seeks to answer these questions among others in three documentary episodes - Episode 1: The Difference Between Us; Episode 2: The Story We Tell; Episode 3: The House We Live-In.

In Episode 1, we learn about human variation and myths of race from an ethnically diverse group of men and women; a microbiologist, biological anthropologist, evolutionary biologist, geneticist, historian of science and a paleontologist. The interviews cover scientific and American socio-historical aspects of race; such as the origin of the human race in Africa, gene mutation and variation, the development of superficial traits vs. complex traits, Jim Crow segregation, the racial purification aim of the Eugenics movement and its influence on the Nazis, and the significance of the success of black athletes in the thirties; in particular Jesse Owens. The documentary intertwines the interviews and narration with segments of high schools students who are participating in a DNA workshop to explore the biology of human variation. The students compare genetic similarities and differences from their DNA samples and begin the workshop with the basic assumption that they are similar to other students who are the same "race". By the end of the workshop, however, the students learn that genetic data does not prove assumptions about racial ancestry. The student activities in the workshop demonstrate that because of our history of moving and mating "any two individuals within any so-called race may be as different from each other as they are from any individual in another so-called race". This understanding of genetic variation disproves race as biology, but reinforces that race is a human invention used to create social inequality.

Episode 2, presents historians and anthropologists discussing how race has evolved over time in America’s history. Examining how unequal treatment was justified based on skin color and national origin, it traces the history and rationalization of slavery and reveals that Thomas Jefferson, slave owner and the author of the Declaration of Independence, may have been the first person to truly articulate a theory of race in the United States. In 1786, he gave his viewpoint on the differences among whites, blacks and Indians while suggesting that science could prove these differences. This became true in the 19th century when science was used to "prove” that blacks were inferior.

The plight of Native Americans is also profiled. The government's Indian civilization policy, Indian Removal Act, and the annexation of one-third of Mexico’s land demonstrated how America was becoming more race based. Conflict in the mid-19th century over the move to abolish slavery and/or to expand it to the western territories would lead to the Civil War. By the end of the century the American idea of race was partly used to support its advancement abroad. And by the early 20th century America was celebrating its civilizing efforts and imperialistic triumphs at the 1904 world's fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Human exhibits at the fair served to further disconnect non-whites from American progress then and well into the 20th century.

Episode 3: The House We Live In discusses the reality of race in the 20th century and beyond. Anthropologists, sociologists and historians explain the historical significance of assigned racial identities. We also learn how institutional policies impacted the socioeconomic status of non-whites.

The early 20th century is covered first, with it’s influx of immigrants from eastern and southern Europe. This was a time when people looked at society and groups of people in racialized terms. The immigrants were forced into low paying jobs and poor living conditions with the so-called inferior races: Blacks, Mexicans and Chinese. Many believed that their status was the biological consequence of their racial character. According to the film, the question at the time was whether or not European ethnics could become fully white, and thus fully American. “Melting pot” was coined during this period to describe the transformation of Europeans into white America with the full rewards of American citizenship. In 1790, Congress declared that only free white immigrants could become naturalized citizens. After receiving petitions from immigrants, the courts determined who was white. The American courts in the early 1900’s ignored science and justified who was not white, often determining whiteness by who could fit politically into society. For example, in 1909, Armenians, were also known as Asiatic Turks and classified as white. Though, in 1922 the Supreme Court ruled that based on science the Japanese were Mongolian and not Caucasian. But in the same year the Court contradicted itself when it agreed that science proved that Asian Indians were Caucasian, but not white.

By the mid-20th century there was a call for national unity and ethnic tolerance in the face of World War II. But by the end of the war government real estate programs would exclude non-whites while giving European ethnics more privilege and a white status. This created new white only segregated communities while fostering more disadvantage for non-whites. Blacks were not included in the housing market until President Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act in 1968. As non-white families moved into white communities, whites moved out and real estate values dropped, thus eroding the tax base in these neighborhoods leading to their decline and creating the situation that we live with today where white families on average have twice the wealth of black families.

The House We Live In ends by addressing the notion of a color blind society versus equality. After the civil rights movement many whites assumed that color no longer mattered, but they lost sight of the fact that the movement did not address underlying economic and social inequalities that were already in place. The narrator concludes with this comment “Claiming we don't see race won’t end racial inequality. As supreme court Justice Harry Blackmun said, ‘to get beyond racism we must first take account of race. There is no other way.’ "

Overall, the video production and organization of this documentary is outstanding. Lighting, sound, video and editing are all excellent. Race - The Power of an Illusion successfully uses superbly chosen historical and modern visuals, artfully editing them to tell this intriguing story. Music is appropriate for each segment and the narration is clear and concise, helping to set the tone. This production is very highly recommended for senior high school through adult.

The documentary companion web site is available on the PBS web site. It is an excellent resource to review before and after watching the series. It includes information about the documentary along with a discussion guide and lessons plans for high school through college. There are also interactive activities, background readings by subject, a searchable database of books, web sites, organizations, videos/films and online articles. The “Ask the Experts” section is no longer accepting questions but it is a good resource for reviewing questions that others have asked after watching the documentary. For example one question and answer addresses the use of DNA by forensic investigators to determine race.

“The Race Literacy Quiz” developed by California Newsreel, in association with the Association of American Colleges and Universities, is another fine resource available on California Newsreel’s web site.