Lee made “Do the Right Thing” in 1989, examining racial tension on Brooklyn’s hottest day—a film ending in violence and moral ambiguity. He made “Malcolm X,” “25th Hour,” “BlacKkKlansman.” His films don’t comfort white audiences. They challenge, confront, and demand attention. His signature shot: characters floating toward camera on dollies, addressing viewers directly. He wears Knicks jerseys to Oscars. He teaches film at NYU. He makes films about Black life in America—joy, pain, protest, community—refusing to make racism palatable or digestible. He demands audiences grapple with America’s racist foundations rather than look away.
