Atlanta

hey, man, I think it's about time we haul it up out of here.

Yeah, might be.

Let me finish this first.

it's a nice night, though.

It's quiet.

A little too quiet.

This place always gave me the heebie-jeebies, man.

This water's so murky.

It's shit water.

I almost drowned in it once when I was like eight.

Actually, right over there by the beach.

My cousin had to drag me out.

I don't know what it was, man.

I just felt like I was being pulled.

You probably was.

By what?

There's a whole town underneath us.

The hell out of here, man.

That's what I'm saying.

Shit water.

This whole lake used to be a town.

Houses, barns, roads.

There's a whole raceway down there.

State government built a dam and flooded the place.

Anyone who didn't leave drowned.

Town was black, too.

What?

Self-governed black town.

so, there are black people under us right now?

Yeah. Why you think so many people die

around here every year?

'cause of drunk rednecks trying to fish at night.

Like you.

no.

It's 'cause it's haunted.

you-you really think it's haunted?

Oh, yeah.

Lot of souls down there.

That's what pulled you under.

Town full of black folk.

They were almost white.

Get the hell out of here, man. What are you talking about?

They were almost white?

White's not a real thing, right?

There's no scientific basis for it.

People just... Become white.

It's social.

White is where you are.

It's when you are.

Armenians are white as hell till they ain't.

Armenians?

When they dammed the chattahoochee,

some refused to leave.

They thought they were safe.

They'd paid to be white.

With enough blood and money, anyone can be white.

It's always been that way.

But the thing about being white is

it blinds you.

It's easy to see the black man as cursed

because you've separated yourself from him.

But you don't know...

You're enslaved just like him.

Cold whiteness.

You're hypothermic.

You lose logic.

You see the blood...

...And you think someone else is bleeding.

Everyone is screaming at you to turn the machine off,

but you can't hear them.

you can't even hear yourself saying,

"we're cursed, too."

We're cursed, too!

Oh, shit!

mrs. Connor: I don't want to keep reminding you about this.

Oh, and one more thing before we go.

listen up, everyone.

I have a special announcement to make.

In an effort to promote more black history

in the curriculum, our school has partnered up

with the atlanta falcons and domino's pizza

for the change atlanta initiative.

So, next Thursday, we're all going on a field trip.

We're all going to go watch a movie.

The new black panther 2.

- Let's go! - -mrs. Connor: I know. Okay.

I know. It's exciting...

-Oh. -Mrs. Connor: Loquareeous.

Students: Hey! Hey! Hey!

-Loquareeous, sit down! -Hey! Hey!

Loquareeous!

loquareeous, sit down right now!

hey! Hey!

Loquareeous, sit down right now, young man!

Principal miller: Hi, mom.

Please. Come in and have a seat.

Mom: Mm-hmm.

How's everyone doing today?

First of all,

I done already told y'all to stop calling me down here.

Well, I really appreciate you coming down, ms. Reid.

And you're loquareeous's grandfather, right?

Thank you both for coming.

As you know, there was a disruption

-with loquareeous... -Uh, let me jump in here.

Sorry. Uh, I'm the guidance counselor, mrs. Grier.

Let me start by saying I am a big fan of your son.

He's been to my office a few times

already this semester for disciplinary problems--

talking in class, being disruptive...

-Well, then give him detention. -Well, yes.

He's-he's had detention before.

Several times.

But I-I had a thought.

Maybe the reason that he's being disruptive in class

is because the material is too challenging.

If we put him in remedial math

and language arts, he could have the...

Wait. Wait.

What? No.

-My son is not dumb. -Oh, no, no.

He's an idiot. Y'all ridiculous.

He is not the first kid to act up in class,

and you want to push him back some grades?

No, I just thought it could be...

Don't you move my son.

Tell his teachers to give him detention.

-Miller: Thank you for coming. -Mm-hmm.

Okay, that went very well.

Grier: I thought I... I-I think he could really use the...

Ms. Reid?

I'm sorry.

mom: Uh-uh! You better dance!

Since you love to dance so much, go 'head.

Shoot it. Come on, shoot!

You got these people up here thinking you retarded.

Your ass gonna end up in them sped classes.

Now whip.

Mm-hmm.

Nae nae. Come on.

Ay. Ay. Ay.

Hit it. Hit it!

If you don't start using your common sense and acting right,

these white people-- they gon' kill you.

-Ms. Reid, d... -Kill... You.

-Now do the worm. -Grier: Really, there's no need for that.

-Let's see it. -There's no need for that.

You up here showing out for your white classmates.

Yeah, you laughing with them now,

but they're gonna be the only ones laughing

when you dead or in jail.

I wasn't even trying to show out...

I don't want to hear it!

-What's your problem? -Now get to class.

And I better not get another call from this school.

I'll walk him back.

Don't worry.

I'm gonna get you out of there.

mom, there ain't no more milk!

Mom: There's spaghetti in the refrigerator if you hungry.

mom: You better not be watching that tv.

I'm-a check, and I'll know.

hello. Ms. Reid, right?

Who wants to know?

I'm with family and children's services.

I'm here on behalf of the city to conduct a welfare ch...

-Family and children's services? -Yes, ma'am.

I'm here to conduct a welfare check on your son...

-Loqua... -Loquareeous!

-Oh, yes. -Loquareeous: Uh-huh. -Get in here!

-See, y'all got me fucked up. -Oh, ma'am, I just need a few

-moments to speak with you. -Did you call the police on me?

-No. -Oh, ms. Reid,

the police are just here as a precaution.

Take him.

Go ahead.

-Ma. -Since you want to go so bad, bye.

Ma, I didn't call nobody.

- You know what? - wait.

Mom.

Mama, I didn't call nobody.

I ain't giving you all these clothes that I bought.

Grandpa: Y'all better take this boy

-fore I kill him... -Mom.

...And he got a real reason to call the police.

mom.

Mama, wait!

oh, my goodness.

welcome home, son. Okay.

Quickly, get inside.

Thank you so much for doing this last minute.

We always appreciate it, amber.

Amber: Oh, it's not a problem at all.

It's what we do.

All right, well, let's get you settled.

I am amber, but you can call me "mom."

um, oh, those are your new brothers and sisters.

That's lanre, yves and fatima.

Ugh. It's stinky here.

Amber: Oh, no, no, no, it doesn't stink.