As part of The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law's Black History Month events, the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) held a viewing and panel discussion of 13^TH, a 2016 American documentary film by director Ava DuVernay available on Netflix. The film explores the “intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States”; it is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted in 1865, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and ended involuntary servitude except as a punishment for conviction of a crime. The evening opened with welcome by BLSA President Emani Johnson (2L), who also introduced Miranda Turner (2L), BLSA's Black History Month Chair.

Turner let those in attendance know the 13^TH was going to be moderated and not shown in its entirety. She also introduced the panelists who would be discussing the film, D. Michael Lyles '94 Lecturer, Catholic Law and City Attorney for the City of Annapolis, Md., and Josephine Ross, Professor, Howard University School of Law. Following the viewing, Turner lead the discussion by posing questions about the film to the panelists, who took the discussion from there. Following the discussion, the panelists opened the floor for questions from those in attendance.