I saw Spike Lee’s new movie, Miracle at St. Anna today. Before I divulge into my thoughts of the movie and the personal feelings that it brought up for me, let me explain how it got here.

I LOVE MOVIES! I always have. Actually anything entertainment is right up my alley but it has to be visual. Just listening to music doesn’t do it for me. A concert does since I need to see the entertainer.

OK, I don’t watch every movie. I tend to avoid horror. I did a lot of that back in the 80’s. I’m pretty selective about movies with subtitles. If I wanted to read, I would get a book. I have always found Hollywood interesting. What drives directors and actors to do what they do? Some are good at it, some aren’t. Some make some really bad script choices.

Many of the movies I have seen speak to me. Miracle at St. Anna is one of those.

I remember when Spike Lee came on the mainstream scene back in 1986 with She’s Got to Have It. Back then, he was not only writing his films but also directing and acting in them. I even saw him once when I was visiting my friend Monica at Spelman College in Atlanta. It was a year or so before School Daze.

I’m a fan but I am also honest about not seeing everything he’s done. But I knew I would have to see Miracle at St. Anna.

I saw the trailer as soon as it was available online. I admit it, I visit apple.com/trailers at least once a week. I also looked up the movie on Internet Movie Database (which I visit daily). Everything I read and saw on this movie didn’t do it justice.

It hit home and it hit home hard. The movie has a number of stories but the foundation highlights the contribution of black soldiers during World War II. Some of those Buffalo Soldiers, as they were called, served in the 92nd Infantry Division. They fought for the United States at a time when equal rights did not exist. Segregation was the way of life in the USA in 1944.

Miracle at St. Anna reminds us of the hardships black Americans faced during the Second World War. And many of those hardships, prejudice and racism still exist. I was one of the people sitting in that movie, reminded. And I cried. But then I laughed.

I laughed at how significant this movie is especially opening on the same date as the first Presidential debate.

I’m sure those men, those Buffalo Soldiers never imagined that a black man (OK, biracial man) is in a position to be the next President of the United States. Those black soldiers were of many that fought for us. They fought for ALL OF US, every American.

I tend to keep my political thoughts private but I will say this…I want a President who will fight for ALL Americans. Just like the Buffalo Soldiers did.