Module 11

The Man Behind the Myth
37 minutes

In 1950, Dr. Bunche is awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, becoming the first person of color to win the prestigious prize. Overnight, Bunche is an international celebrity and the center of media attention. Showered with honors at home and around the world, many see Bunche as having "transcended" race. But has he? Interviews of family, colleagues, and contemporaries offer insight into Dr. Bunche, revealing a complex personality that was both idealistic and pragmatic. As The Man Behind the Myth also shows, Bunche was subjected to intense pressures from a racist American society and the Cold War political rivalries of the day.