Ava DuVernay Explores the 14th Amendment in New Netflix Documentary
A new documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay, titled “14th,” is set to debut on Netflix later this year. The film delves into the 14th Amendment, a significant post-Civil War constitutional change that granted rights to formerly enslaved individuals, amid ongoing legal challenges by former President Donald Trump.
DuVernay, known for her works like “Selma” and “Origin,”, returns to nonfiction with this project, following her 2016 documentary “13th,” which focused on the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery.
The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, declares: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” This constitutional amendment was pivotal in overturning the 1857 Supreme Court ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford, which denied citizenship to descendants of slaves.
DuVernay’s documentary examines the contemporary relevance of this amendment, portraying it as “a permanent argument” through the perspectives of politicians, historians, and cultural figures. She stated, “If ‘13th’ asked who gets caged, then ‘14th’ asks who gets counted.” Her focus is not merely historical; she aims to question the kind of nation being shaped today.
The 14th Amendment has recently been at the center of political discourse, particularly due to President Trump’s attempts to limit birthright citizenship, a protection enshrined within the amendment. His executive order aimed at curbing these rights was struck down by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision. Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized the enduring promise of the amendment, writing, “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today.”
Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, Trump has continued to oppose the decision, expressing his discontent on Truth Social by stating, “This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision.”
