After what I thought was an outstanding effort in CNN's documentary Black in America last year," I decided to invite students, faculty and staff at The University of Alabama to watch Black in America 2 with me. About 20 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff joined in the conversation tonight.
During the hour preceding tonight's premiere, we watched an excerpt from last year's documentary and identified some of the problems this multicultural crowd perceived as the "Biggest Problems facing African-Americans."
Once the documentary began, there was great disappointment in what was presented in the "Journey for Change" story. the students expressed a real lack of enthusiasm for the depth that was given to one experience and the overemphasis of one or two students.
What about the other students on the trip?
By devoting much of the first hour of the program to the "Journey for Change," CNN left little time to provide a more complete report on the type of leadership provided by Dr. Steve Perry.
The administrators, students and faculty in this group identified some holes in the story about the Capital Prep Magnet School. What happens to the 100 percent of students who go to college. Do they actually graduate from college?
While time limits what can be reported in one story, when so much time was devoted to "Journey for Change," it made other stories in tonight's installment incomplete.
As we prepare for Part 2 of CNN's Black in America 2, we are hoping the Pioneers that will be featured will be conveyed in a more COMPLETE fashion.
We'll be watching and discussing the second part tomorrow night here at The University of Alabama's Phifer Hall Room 323.
