John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk

September. 10,1996      
Rating:
7.6
Trailer Synopsis Cast

John Henrik Clarke talks about Black history.

Wesley Snipes as  Narrator

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Reviews

BootDigest
1996/09/10

Such a frustrating disappointment

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Kailansorac
1996/09/11

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

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WillSushyMedia
1996/09/12

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

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Bumpy Chip
1996/09/13

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

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tikemyler
1996/09/14

The world does not run on truth but rather on competing perceptions. This is why our politicians deal in "spin" (the weaving of perceptions) and our legal system has a standard of "reasonable doubt" (judgment rendered from how facts are perceived), rather than absolute verity. This documentary, noble in its aim, advances a reconciliation of how this adage has been advanced via the Eurocentric perception of history. Mr. Clarke, an eminent historian and educator, compels the truth seeker with his authoritative command of historical accounts long omitted, manipulated and rejected by the revisionism of European recorders of history. Perhaps others from other cultures will someday endeavor to unearth, reveal and make available to all their histories and make similar contributions to the world's historical reconciliation of truth, for as long as we continue to labor under the false, misguided and in some cases sophistic perceptions that govern our thinking, we will continue to be slaves to the dissent that divides the human family, rather than be liberated by the unbiased knowledge of our shared contributions and value to history. I recommend this film for its advancement of this aim.

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MARCUS HOLLEY
1996/09/15

As a young African-American hip-hop musician, I've found this documentary inspiring and highly interesting. It touches on many issues never taught in my schooling here in the good old United States of America. The plight of the African -in whichever part of the world- seems more palatable than before. By that I mean I now see the 'method' to the madness of the world's view of my people. It's also highly entertaining with many a laugh here and there... My view of the world is now much more broader than before after viewing this documentary. In time... things will change for the betterment of all mankind. I feel that this documentary will be an attribute to that change. I recommend its' viewing to everyone. No matter the race. This is a story of the history of the world. Told from the experience and observation of a man who dedicated his life to the study of the world. It's said that "What is hidden in the darkness shall be brought out into the light". This is the light. It should be shown in grade schools and colleges. It's a must see.

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MuzikJunky
1996/09/16

An Afrocentric perspective is necessary for a true understanding of the interconnectedness of all peoples of the world. By teaching from an Afrocentric perspective, a legitimate but misunderstood philosophical and academic discipline, we, as citizens of the world, gain additional insight to the contributions that African people have made to humanity. Clarke was one who recognized that African people were misrepresented by scholars in the post-imperialist era, when scholarship regarding people of African origin was suppressed and almost eliminated by colonialism.When status-quo bearers are close-minded to new ideas, particularly the idea of the Ancient Egyptians (Kemetans) as dark-skinned, woolly haired Africans, you wonder if ignorance has played a role in the shaping of such ideas. Afrocentric scholarship, among other things, attempts to return the Kemetans to their rightful place as Africans; imperialism tried to separate north Africa from so-called sub-Saharan Africa because it was felt that Black African people were not technologically sophisticated enough to come up with "civilized" societies. In la Monde Francophone (the French-language-speaking world), Afrocentricity is recognized academically, and the scholars and thinkers, especially the work of the Senegalese Egyptologist and anthropologist Cheikh Anta Diop, are canonized.The closing credits say, "The comments made by Dr. Clarke are not necessarily those of the filmmakers." You may not agree with everything, but even with the evidence presented, you cannot dismiss facts uncovered by Clarke and his contemporaries as fiction. An important documentary, one that will wake you up to the rich possibilities of different perspectives.

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Zeech
1996/09/17

Bought this from Radio WBIA drive, and like a Coltrane solo, it truely flipped me. It's not a lecture, from this heavy, heavy weight historian (think he set up the Black and Puerto Rican Dept. at Hunter) and not a biography. It's a flip of both, JC summarises Afrikan history from 10,000 BC to the present day and during this macro overview, he drops his own past of which I knew nothing. And honestly while watching it with me mate, we both felt inspired equaly from the macro Nile Valley civilizations and the struggle this little brother had growing up.I am so glad to have picked this up before he became and ancestor and watch it whenever I feel depressed, and it does help lift me up. zeech

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