The Color of Friendship

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The Color of Friendship is a true story of Congressman Ron Dullam and his family's experiences during the with the white South African exchange student that they host during revolutionary years of the apartheid. The Congressman during that time was a powerful voice for the rights of African American citizens. You see from this movie however that the time he spent with this young exchange student served to shape many of his views in later years.

Let me paint you a picture of how the film begins. Imagine that you are a white South African exchange student raised your entire life to think that "Blacks" are second-class citizens. Your father is a policeman who can hardly contain his excitement when activist Steve Biko, is apprehended. Thinking it would be a nice experience you choose to take part in the student exchange program. You find out that your family will be a US Congressman living in Washington D.C. You fully expect that your host family will be a nice white American family. However, when you get to the US and meet you host family you face life-changing issues. The family that you will be living with is not only an African American, but the father is also a prominent Congressman. How bizarre that must have been this young girl, Mahree Bok, especially considering she grew up in pre-apartheid South Africa.

On the other side of the coin, you have a man who has spent a lifetime fighting for the rights of African American citizens. Your country has come a long way during a short period. A child who has yet to go through those circumstances could only emphasize for you the changes. Now you must understand that when he heard that the student he would be hosting was from Africa you fully expect that person to be black, not white. I do not think for one moment that either the congressman or Miss Bok expected what was in store for them.

Disney did a fantastic job with this movie. It brings about a wonderful message about patience, understanding, and equality during a time of instability in our own nation. It serves as a reminder of what can happen to us all if we do not put our fears in check. This movie gives us permission to

experience the profound affect that this experience has on the lives of all the people involved.

The film tells a unique story of a friendship between the two girls at the very center of the events. That is what makes this film different from others in the same category. That very technique impressed me about this production. On the one hand, you have a children's entertainment company that would like to tell the dramatic story of a US Congressman's life. On the other hand, that same company has the responsibility to tell stories in an appropriate way that children can understand. However, Disney has taken on the challenge and has managed maintained the integrity of the story. You can imagine that Congressman Dullam's family is an important part of his life. Let us not forget that these events affected his children in a way that would change their lives forever. By accentuating that part of the story, you can see how that friendship affected his views.

To get the full story, you will just have to watch the movie for yourself. However, I will say that these young actors did justice to the roles with their performances. They managed to bring out the true emotions of their characters in a way that allows a deeper understanding of the importance of this story.