Recently I saw an ad for a movie meant to air the dirty racial laundry of the Democratic Party, and let me tell you, it was Hillary-ious (see what I did there??). Part of me regrets having to show the video here for reference at all, but I need us to be on the same page, so here it is:

To start off:

1. The film's creator, Dinesh D'Souza, also caught a lot of fire in 2012 after releasing the film "Obama's America."

2. The video depicts the Antebellum Era — with slaves being beaten and the KKK running rampant — before speeding up to 150 years later to Hillary's campaign because everything in between is irrelevant (heed my sarcasm).

3. Unlike me, not everyone gets excited about the history of American politics, even if it is important, especially when looking at the history of a political party's stance on race. So, without further ado, I give you the past 200 years of the Democratic Party in roughly 200 words.

1792: The Democratic Party was actually formed as the Republicans. I know, it's a bit confusing, but roll with it because in the 1830s — President Jackson's era — the party name was changed to the Democrats, where for our sake, the history of the Democratic Party begins.

(1829-1837) Andrew Jackson: A staunch supporter in the forced relocation of Native Americans, he also was pro-state's rights and pro-slavery President, so yes, the Democratic Party began in support of slavery.

1840s and 50s: The Democratic Party was divided between the North and South on whether to allow slavery in new U.S. territories. As a result of the rift, the Republicans managed to win the presidential election of 1860, electing Abraham Lincoln. (A good lesson for Democrats today — unification behind a candidate is monumental for a win, eh?)

Time check: The Civil War began in 1861 and ended in 1865 with state's rights and slavery at its core.

(1885-1889, 1893-1897) Grover Cleveland: Twenty years after the end of the Civil War, the first Democrat managed to finagle his way into the White House and still showed that the Democrats were in favor of segregation.

(1913-1921) Woodrow Wilson: A Southerner himself, elected in 1912, Wilson favored segregation during his first term when the House passed a law against interracial marriage in D.C.

(1933-1945) FDR: He pulled the United States up from the rubble out of the Great Depression in the first 100 days with the New Deal, which helped both African Americans and whites.

(1945-1953) Harry Truman: For African Americans, Truman signed two Executive Orders: One to desegregate the armed forces, and the other to guarantee fair employment practices in civil service. Neither held much weight in a strongly segregated country, but they still helped set a precedent for work to come in the Civil Rights Era.

Time check: The Civil Rights Era was America's war at home from 1954-1968.

(1961-1963) JFK: His progressive agenda sought to find an end to poverty for blacks and whites and to help America through the Cold War. However, at the time, politics prevented him from doing more for African Americans due to legislation passed by Southern Democrats.

(1963-1969) LBJ: Though he himself was not a supporter of the civil rights movement, he honored JFK with passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, giving the gumption the Reconstruction Amendments needed in order ensure the rights of African Americans.

(1977-1981) Jimmy Carter: While the Civil Rights Era had come to an end, race issues still took a toll on the United States, and Carter was known to be champion for racial equality since his time as a Georgia Senator. Though controversial now, Carter supported Affirmative Action during his presidency, and over 4,300 African Americans took elected office under him.

(1993-2001) Bill Clinton: Though elected with the African American vote, his administration did little to aid them against racial injustice.

(2009-present) Barack Obama: The first African American president and a Democrat proved that our country has come a long way from Antebellum Era and Jackson's Democratic Party. During his presidency, it has been abundantly clear that our country still suffers along racial lines. The President stands as a supporter of racial equality, but the country has yet to see dramatic policy aiding the African American community as it faces more issues, like police brutality.

What has this all been leading up to? Hillary Clinton, who could possibly be the first woman president, and that is something our nation should be proud of. Just shy of a hundred years ago, in 1919, women were first granted the right to vote under the 19th Amendment. While she claims to want to, "break down all the barriers that hold Americans back and build ladders of opportunity for all people," whether or not she can do so in such a time of great racial unrest is unknown. The politics that come with the presidency have long prevented previous presidents from aiding African Americans, and will undoubtedly be an issue that Clinton, if elected, will have to face.

Alright, alright, I know that was more than 200 words by far, but I think it proves that 200 years of history cannot be simplified into 200 words — or even in a single movie (especially not in a three minutes and 10 seconds preview). No matter who you support, be weary America, because our history is complicated but important. The past is nothing to be afraid of, and if you can learn the history of the Democratic Party by reading an article, it isn't much of a secret (I'm talking to you, D'Souza).

I leave you with the wise words of George Orwell, the author of "1984": “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”