The Making of America

The documentary film explores how Enlightenment-era systems of knowledge—art, science, architecture, and cartography—produced enduring frameworks for racial slavery, territorial extraction, and Indigenous dispossession in what became the United States of America. Quote from the Director, Monique Linder: “After our last film about Reconstruction Destructed, I felt it was important that the next film go back to the very beginning, the making of America. This film really helps tie all the pieces in the Juneteenth Reckoning with Slavery film series together in a significant way. I’m looking forward to sharing it with others.”

Leonard Peltier

Self (Artist/Activist)

David Pullins

Self (NY Metropolitan Museum of Met Curator)

Kevin Lindsey

Self (MN Humanities Center CEO)

Roger Cummings

Self (Juxtaposition CEO)

Joseph Ra Cole

Self (OMG Studios Innovation Lab)

Dr. Duchess Harris

Self (American Studies Professor)

Chase Iron Eyes

Self (Director, Sacred Defense Fund/Lakota People's Law Project)

Wasu Duta

Self (Headman of the Bdewakanton (Mdewakanton) Santee Dakota Sioux)

Patrice Epps

Self (Juxtaposition Apprentice)

Kanandi Mac

Self (Juxtaposition Apprentice)

Shah Hasan, Jr.

Self (Juxtaposition Apprentice)

Kiara Richardson

Self (Juxtaposition Apprentice)

Arame Sy

Self (Juxtaposition Apprentice)

Tre Warren

Self (Juxtaposition Apprentice)

• Monique LinderDirector
• Jen HeckEditor

The Making of America Official Trailer

Release date

June 28, 2026

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

18m

Rated

NR