There are many reasons why “The Best of Enemies” resonated me. For starters, I grew up in the town where the real-life story took place. And honestly, a decade later when I entered the school system the race relations in Durham, NC weren’t much better.

So Many Postitive Memories Came to Mind

The elementary school in the video that burned was the same school I attended in the fifth grade. There were many reasons why the school, East End, leaves positive memories in my memory bank. The teachers seemed to really care about the students. Also, I recall that the school was still 99% black when I attended it and I graduated as the Valedictorian.

For starters, the school was connected with the community. Every time, A student received straight A’s the local funeral home would give the students a $50 savings bond. The savings bond, made me feel special, when one was issued to me. In fact, one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in an academic setting was knowing that my teacher actually cared about me and my future. Watching the movie brought back many nostalgic feelings for me, but the scenery didn’t seem like the Durham I remember as a child so I think it was filmed elsewhere, that was the only factor that disappointed me.

The overall story was fascinating, especially, to me because I vaguely remember Ann Atwater receiving a plaque from my church, but I never heard about her story, a charrette, or the segregated education system in the community. It wasn’t something people were still talking about decades later. Watching the movie, also reminded me why I would never want to live in NC again. Segregation still exists, there is an uncomfortable familiarity about it. The disparities of wealth are still great, even though there are many colleges and universities to help the residents level up.

I Highly Recommend the Best of Enemies

Overall, I’d recommend the movie to anyone who likes positive endings. Although, there are many painful moments. The film evoked a lot of wmotipns within. Surprisingly, there were several times I cried, but I left the theater feeling slightly more hopeful, which I think is all that matters. Once you see it, in theaters April 5, definitely leave me a comment below so I can hear your thoughts about it.