Overview

The Changing Same is a short film that examines the legacy that white supremacist violence, in the form of lynching, leaves in its wake. This film documents poet and professor Lamar Wilson’s as he grapples with the brutal lynching of Claude Neal. Neal was publicly murdered by a white lynchmob in Wilson’s hometown of Marianna, Florida in 1934. The Changing Same asks viewers to consider the lasting impacts that histories of racial violence have on the people and communities in the present.

Viewers are called to consider themes of redemption, reconciliation, and accountability on the long road towards acknowledging and confronting the realities of white supremacist terrorism. They are also asked to address the question:

Is Marianna really that much different than other American towns haunted by histories of racial violence and lynching?

This lesson plan guides students through similar questions while offering important concepts and definitions to facilitate a respectful grappling with legacies of racism and racial violence in American history. This lesson is intended for a high school aged audience, but could be adapted to meet the needs of college students as well.