steven mcqueen
Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave is sparking change in America’s public high school curriculum.
According to a press release, the National School Boards Association is partnering with New Regency, Penguin Books and filmmakers to distribute copies of the NAACP Image Award-winning film, original book, and study guide to public high schools across the US.
The new initiative is coordinated by famed talk show host Montel Williams. Sources say 12 Years A Slave, written in 1841 by free Black man-turned-slave Solomon Northup, will be a required teaching tool starting September 2014, the new school year.
“12 Years a Slave is one of the most impactful films in recent memory, and I am honored to have been able
to bring together Fox Searchlight and National School Boards Association to maximize its educational potential,” Williams says in a statement. “When Hollywood is at its best, the power of the movies can be harnessed into a powerful educational tool. This film uniquely highlights a shameful period in American history, and in doing so will evoke in students a desire to not repeat the evils of the past while inspiring them to dream big of a better and brighter future, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Director McQueen calls the new initiative a dream come true. “Since first reading 12 Years a Slave, it has been my dream that this book be taught in schools,” he reveals. “I am immensely grateful to Montel Williams and the National School Boards Association for making this dream a reality and for sharing Solomon Northup’s story with today’s generation.”