Father of Racism

Father of Racism is a controversial film by producer Taina Mirabal about the life of Juan Pablo Duarte and members of La Trinitaria the founders of the Dominican Republic. The films promotion caused some controversy in New York City and in the Dominican Republic by claiming that Duarte was a "white devil" and a racist who was an influence on the formation of the Ku Klux Klan. Posters for the film caused an uproar and outrage when they were placed on subways in the Washington Heights neighborhood which is home to many Dominicans. “There’s no element that I remember once reading, in anything Duarte said or wrote, that could be interpreted remotely as racism,” said Anthony Stevens, assistant director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute. “It’s one of those things that you see and you wonder, ‘Is this somebody nuts, who took Duarte’s name out of a bag in a raffle and decided to use it?’ ” Mirabal has stated that she has evidence to back up her claims. Her film is currently in production in California.

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