In honor of Black History Month, Showtime Documentary Films is premiering the provocative new three-part docu-series everything’s gonna be all white, which explores the history of race in America from the perspective of people of color. From the ever-shifting classifications of racial identity, to the generational effects of racism on housing, education and healthcare, to the singular fight of Indigenous populations to reclaim their land from constant encroachment, the docu-series delves deeply into the root causes of racial inequities in this country.
Directed by Emmy(R) nominee Sacha Jenkins (Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James), the first part of the docu-series will premiere on-air on Friday, February 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Showtime will release all three parts, along with a bonus episode, to its subscribers On Demand at 12:01 a.m. ET, prior to the on-air debut of the first episode later that night at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
“We are living in a time where people believe what they believe based on what they want to be true,” said Jenkins. “Somehow, journalism has become the enemy. People are living in glass houses that resemble fun houses – mirrored rooms that distort the faces of both loved ones and foes. But this scribe will say that what you are about to witness is the embodiment of the collected feelings of folks of color in America. An undistorted view of our collective truth. This is how America has treated us. This is how we feel. Freedom of speech and all of that jazz, buddy! America is all about that.”
everything’s gonna be all white features insights from noted historians, cultural commentators, actors, activists and artists, including Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Nell Irvin Painter, Jemele Hill, Amanda Seales, Favianna Rodriguez, Tamika Mallory, Styles P, Margaret Cho and Dr. Nick Estes, among others who dissect the many causal effects of race-based decisions and policies on people of color. Key topics include Mt. Rushmore, General Custer and the generational fight for rightful Indigenous land; the possible correlation between the location of a Queensbridge Housing Project building and rap pioneer Roxanne Shanté’s success; and the causal links of lead paint and the intentional destruction of food sources to disease and premature death.
everything’s gonna be all white unapologetically confronts these and other controversial issues that indelibly stain our collective red, white and blue parts. The episodes are punctuated by vignettes featuring roommates Radical Rhonda and Mad Chad, a black female and white male, whose brutally honest takes illuminate the frustrations each side feels in being truly heard by the other. The bonus episode featuring Jenkins in conversation with a diverse group of young artists and activists on hot-button topics, including racial disparities in 2nd Amendment gun rights and pre- and post-legalization marijuana laws, along with new and notable game-changers in sports and arts and a special musical performance by Jenkins and his band The 1865 will be available exclusively to SHOWTIME subscribers On Demand.