This is the earliest surviving movie made by a African-American director. The acting is poor and the story meanders. However it does tell a story about race in the early 1900's. Even then it was recognized that education was the key for blacks to move ahead. However, getting the funds for schools was a different story. The movie has rape and a lynching. There is a black minister who preaches that whites and blacks are not equal and cannot get together (though he doesn't believe that himself). As a movie it leaves a lot to be desired. As a chance to see an early black film and a chance to see how some people (there are two white women who have very differing views) viewed race it is worth seeing once.
Review of Within Our Gates
