New documentary DVDs

The library has recently added several new non-fiction DVDs to our collections, in the areas of history, sociology/race studies, anthropology/archaeology, economics, and biology. New additions include:

History:

At the River I Stand (56 min.)
Documentary of two 1968 events in the civil rights movement-- the sanitation workers strike in Memphis, Tennessee and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Shows how the black community, local civil rights leaders, and AFSCME mobilized behind the strikers in mass demonstrations and a boycott of downtown businesses.

Sociology and Race Studies:

Blacking Up: Hip-Hop's Remix of Race and Identity (57 min.)
Looks at the popularity of hip-hop among America's white youth. It interweaves portraits of white hip-hop artists and fans with insightful commentary by African American cultural critics such as Amiri Baraka, Nelson George, Greg Tate, comedian Paul Mooney and hip-hop figures Chuck D., Russell Simmons, M1 of Dead Prez, and DJ Kool Herc.

Color Adjustment (80 min.)
An analysis of the portrayal of African-Americans on American television from 1948-1988. Argues that earlier images were outright racist, and that later images have been overly biased towards prosperous blacks .

Skin Deep (53 min.)
A diverse group of college students reveal their honest feelings and attitudes about race and racism. Students from major universities are interviewed alone on topics including the climate toward talking about race on campus, self separation of ethnic groups, discrimination, affirmative action policies and individual responsibility for change.

Anthropology/Archaeology

Out of the Past (4-DVD set, 120 min. each)
Stacy Keach, with the help of field archaeologists, introduces us to the work and thought of archaeology .

Economics

The Big Sellout (95 min.)
Traveling throughout both the developing and industrialized world, this film examines the political forces and the human consequences of the trend to privatize essential services such as healthcare, water and electricity, and transportation.

Biology

Attack of the Mutants (52 min.)
In the not-so-distant future, athletes and other physically active people won't use needles or pills for extra strength and endurance -- those traits will be cultivated genetically. This program examines the controversy in the wider context of biomedical advances as well as in the area of sports.

From Conception to Birth (52 min.)
From the miracle of conception to the wonder of birth, this Discovery Channel production is an inside view of our most fascinating journey. The development of a human life within a woman's body is revealed from the incredible first moments of cell division through the baby's growth over the next nine months.

The library also has an ever-growing collection of feature films on DVD, including many classic international art films and award winners. Stop by the library and browse the collection!