The Color of Friendship

The Color of Friendship is a true story of Congressman Ron Dullam and his family's experiences during the with the white South African exchange student that they host during revolutionary years of the apartheid.  The Congressman during that time was a powerful voice for the rights of African American citizens.  You see from this movie however that the time he spent with this young exchange student served to shape many of his views in later years.

Let me paint you a picture of how the film begins.  Imagine that you are a white South African exchange student raised your entire life to think that "Blacks" are second-class citizens.  Your father is a policeman who can hardly contain his excitement when activist Steve Biko, is apprehended.  Thinking it would be a nice experience you choose to take part in the student exchange program.  You find out that your family will be a US Congressman living in Washington D.C.  You fully expect that your host family will be a nice white American family.  However, when you get to the US and meet you host family you face life-changing issues.  The family that you will be living with is not only an African American, but the father is also a prominent Congressman.  How bizarre that must have been this young girl, Mahree Bok, especially considering she grew up in pre-apartheid South Africa.

On the other side of the coin, you have a man who has spent a lifetime fighting for the rights of African American citizens.  Your country has come a long way during a short period.  A child who has yet to go through those circumstances could only emphasize for you the changes.  Now you must understand that when he heard that the student he would be hosting was from Africa you fully expect that person to be black, not white.  I do not think for one moment that either the congressman or Miss Bok expected what was in store for them.

Disney did a fantastic job with this movie.  It brings about a wonderful message about patience, understanding, and equality during a time of instability in our own nation.  It serves as a reminder of what can happen to us all if we do not put our fears in check.  This movie gives us permission to

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