--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By the end of the documentary [ '13th']…" description: "\"By the end of the documentary [ '13th'], you really understand what prison is, what the prison industrial complex is, where this whole Black Lives Matt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/ava-duvernay-4018_black_by-the-end-of-the-documentary-13th-you-r_3195703.jpg" --- # By the end of the documentary \[ '13th'\], you really… ![“By the end of the documentary [ '13th'], you really understand what prison is, what the prison industrial complex is, where this whole Black Lives Matter movement comes from, the history of resistance, the history of how politicians have used criminality over the decades for a particular political…” quote by Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/ava-duvernay-4018_black_by-the-end-of-the-documentary-13th-you-r_3195703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/ava-duvernay-4018_black_by-the-end-of-the-documentary-13th-you-r_3195703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/ava-duvernay-4018_black_by-the-end-of-the-documentary-13th-you-r_3195703.jpg) > “By the end of the documentary \[ '13th'\], you really understand what prison is, what the prison industrial complex is, where this whole Black Lives Matter movement comes from, the history of resistance, the history of how politicians have used criminality over the decades for a particular political gain. It's to give people an understanding of it so they can make their own decisions about how they want to be in the world.” [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The film reveals how the U.S. prison system and its policies have been shaped by racial bias and political exploitation, linking past slavery to modern mass incarceration and activism. **In simple terms:** The documentary shows how racism and politics built the prison system and why Black Lives Matter matters. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic injustice and act informed. Themes racial justice political power mass incarceration activism Mood thoughtful urgent inspired Type educational call to action critical analysis When to use this quote - policy analysis - community organizing - educational curricula - media literacy Key Concepts systemic racism political economy historical continuity Questions to Reflect On - How does history influence current prison policies? - What role can individuals play in reform? A Different Perspective The film offers a perspective but may oversimplify complex legal nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives/) [Black lives matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives-matter/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Criminality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminality/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Documentary 13Th](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-13th-5912115/) [End Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-documentary-5912117/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-resistance-2982043/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Understand Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-prison-5912116/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The history of liberty is a history of resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-history-of-liberty-is-a-history-of-resistance/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [The whole history of the 20th century is a history of resistance groups which are either nationalist or, in large parts of the Muslim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-whole-history-of-the-20th-century-is-a-history-of-resistance/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [“there's a long history of resistance movements igniting in the soccer stadium. In the Red Star Revolution, Draza, Krle, and the other Belgrade soccer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-foer/there-s-a-long-history-of-resistance-movements-igniting-in-the-soccer/) [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) > [I discovered, to my amazement, that all through history there had been resistance ... and bitter, exaggerated, last-stitch resistance ... to every significant technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-discovered-to-my-amazement-that-all-through-history-there-had-been/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [It is precisely through the indeterminate nature of history that resistance becomes possible and politics refuses any guarantees and remains open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/it-is-precisely-through-the-indeterminate-nature-of-history-that/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [For the superior morality, of which we hear so much, we too would desire to be thankful: at the same time, it were but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/for-the-superior-morality-of-which-we-hear-so-much-we-too-would/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Indeed, what is startling about the notion of a victimless crime is that even when the behavior in question is genuinely victimless, its criminality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/indeed-what-is-startling-about-the-notion-of-a-victimless-crime-is/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Make your way to death row and speak with the tragic victims of criminality. As they prepare to make their pathetic walk to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/make-your-way-to-death-row-and-speak-with-the-tragic-victims-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Do you see law and order? There is nothing but disorder, and instead of law there is the illusion of security. It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mumia-abu-jamal/do-you-see-law-and-order-there-is-nothing-but-disorder-and-instead-of/) [Mumia Abu-Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mumia-abu-jamal/) > [When my father made 'Jean de Florette' and 'Manon des Sources' back to back, everybody said, 'Why two movies?' But you need two movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-langmann/when-my-father-made-jean-de-florette-and-manon-des-sources-back-to/) [Thomas Langmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-langmann/) > [The fact that Universal Jurisdiction exists in relation to serious international crimes does convey two important aspects of the global reality: first, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-fact-that-universal-jurisdiction-exists-in-relation-to-serious/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Criminality is a basic part of human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-frost/criminality-is-a-basic-part-of-human-nature/) [Mark Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-frost/) > [ISIS simply do not have ideological, theological, or popular support. And this is a criminal organization that is funding their criminality with things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalia-mogahed/isis-simply-do-not-have-ideological-theological-or-popular-support/) [Dalia Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalia-mogahed/) > [We think criminality is something that exists in somehow another world to us. But actually, there is an invisible criminal web in which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/we-think-criminality-is-something-that-exists-in-somehow-another/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Criminality is now legal. I guess criminal racketeering these days would be like burning little children at the stake or something. That's about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-jones/criminality-is-now-legal-i-guess-criminal-racketeering-these-days/) [Alex Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-jones/) ## More by Ava DuVernay > [We're living based on laws and ideas that we, as a society, embraced back in the days of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-re-living-based-on-laws-and-ideas-that-we-as-a-society-embraced/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [All the traditional models for doing things are collapsing; from music to publishing to film, and it's a wide open door for people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/all-the-traditional-models-for-doing-things-are-collapsing-from-music/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [Don't wait for permission to do something creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/don-t-wait-for-permission-to-do-something-creative/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [Netflix represents, as well as all the streaming services, something that I've been talking about being so important to inclusive voices around films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/netflix-represents-as-well-as-all-the-streaming-services-something/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [I didn't go to film school. I got my education on the set as a niche publicist in the film industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i-got-my-education-on-the-set-as-a-niche/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [Hollywood needs more women directors, and Mama Ava needs a carafe and a half of that sweet vino divino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/hollywood-needs-more-women-directors-and-mama-ava-needs-a-carafe-and/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [I've been to Sundance eight times as a publicist and thought I was very prepared. I mean, who could've been more prepared for me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-ve-been-to-sundance-eight-times-as-a-publicist-and-thought-i-was/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [I think it's a wonderful time to be a black woman who makes films. It's a good time to be an artist period. Traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-think-it-s-a-wonderful-time-to-be-a-black-woman-who-makes-films-it/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [I think for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-think-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [I make films about black women and it doesn't mean that you can't see them as a black man, doesn't mean that he can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-make-films-about-black-women-and-it-doesn-t-mean-that-you-can-t-see/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [The documentaries were something that I could do for a small amount of money, and then I felt like as long as I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/the-documentaries-were-something-that-i-could-do-for-a-small-amount/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [ \[ Hollywood\] is a patriarchy, headed by men and built for men. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/hollywood-is-a-patriarchy-headed-by-men-and-built-for-men/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [I know that sounds a little bit corny, but I've found some solace in that. I hope art can continue to do that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-know-that-sounds-a-little-bit-corny-but-i-ve-found-some-solace-in/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [We have to find new ways to work without permission, new ways to turn corners and go through doors that are closed off to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-have-to-find-new-ways-to-work-without-permission-new-ways-to-turn/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [We're a new world and it's not pretty. It's going to be for the brave to figure out how to survive in this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-re-a-new-world-and-it-s-not-pretty-it-s-going-to-be-for-the-brave/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) [Explore all 117 Ava DuVernay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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