3. 4 Little Girls (1997)
The act of terrorism that is re-enacted in the opening sequence of the recent film Selma, is the subject of this superb documentary - again made by Spike Lee. 4 Little Girls confirmed Lees already obvious versatility as a film maker, while also confirming his status as the finest chronicler of African American stories in the film making medium. The story of four young girls being murdered when KKK bombs were detonated in a Birmingham, Alabama church in 1963 is obviously a very saddening watch, but in the skilled hands of Lee the story is also a superb chronicle of African American strength and courage in the face of inhumane violence from white Americans. One of the reasons why this documentary is so good though, isnt because it simply chronicles the events in a compelling, yet respectful fashion but rather because it goes out of its way to explicitly link the film to more contemporary times, and clearly states the message that African American freedom struggles are ongoing. One of the major elements of mainstream narratives about African American history is that since the American government introduced legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, African American freedom struggles have ceased, and racism has been finished with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiRB8eAhKxA Given what we have seen just recently with police in America seemingly killing young African American males at will, it is clear that the struggles and tension are far from over. Similarly in 1993 there was a spate of arsons in Birmingham churches, which Lee showcases to indicate that while things might not be as bad as they once were legislatively, on the ground levels of African American life there were still major, major issues. It was incredibly relevant upon release in a way that few films have been, and even though it was released nearly two decades ago, the film could easily be updated to show that its issues and themes are still very relevant today.