Work Group for Racial Equity February Discussion Group: Most of the Monsters Survived the Rising Sun: “Sinners” and the Impact of Historical, Cultural, and Generational Trauma on African Americans, Then and Now

While many horror films function as allegories, Sinners operates as both a vampire narrative and a socio-cultural documentary. Most horror movies have the monsters die or appear to die before the end credits roll. Sinners deviates from this because not all of the “monsters” die or disappear with the dawn. Even without its supernatural elements, the story remains horrific because the monsters of white supremacy, sharecropping, lynching, and systemic economic oppression, remain undefeated. Using director Ryan Coogler’s artistry and vision as a framework, our discussion will examine themes of historical, cultural, and intergenerational trauma; structural racism, cultural appropriation; survival; resistance; and resilience. We will also consider how these dynamics are alive today in contemporary clinical practice and in current events.

Resource

Sinners (2025), directed by Ryan Coogler.

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