The Soul Of America (HBO Documentary)

(2020)

Synopsis

Based on Jon Meacham’s 2018 bestseller, The Soul of America illuminates our present-day, fraught political reality by exploring historical challenges of the past such as the women’s suffrage movement, the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, McCarthyism, and the struggle to pass Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s. All were instances in which “our better angels” battled against the forces of hatred and division that are recurring themes in American life. Interweaving archival material and interviews with the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian with insights from journalists, academics, and civil rights activists, the feature documentary focuses on pivotal moments in our history that reflect America’s longstanding struggles with racism, sexism, and xenophobia. Helping us to better understand the parallels between current events and their historical antecedents, The Soul of America ultimately gives hope that the lessons of the past may bring the nation closer to achieving its democratic ideals. The documentary is directed by KD Davison, produced by George Kunhardt and Teddy Kunhardt, and executive produced by Peter Kunhardt.

Cast

Jon Stewart, George Takei, Ronald Reagan