Ava DuVernay’s The 13th is a new documentary about the history of the 13th Amendment, which banned slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime. The film will look at how the interpretation of that amendment led to America’s sprawling prison state, which now accounts for a quarter of the world’s prison population. In a new trailer released today, DuVernay makes a sweeping historical argument to show how modern shortfalls—including the for-profit prison system—have their roots in the 19th century. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump show up, too, as an example of how poor rhetoric on prisons has crossed the political aisle.
The 13th will be available on Netflix on October 7. Watch the trailer below.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=V66F3WU2CKk
