Jackie Glover, the producer of Unchained Memories, spoke with TIME Classroom about the experience of bringing the slave narrative to the screen. Read the interview below to find out more about Glover's experience making the documentary and the importance of learning from history.

Q: Do you think the documentary is particularly relevant in today's society? Why?
A: Absolutely. Slavery is an important part of American history that tends not to get discussed very often. It is important to understand the role that enslaved people played in building this country to what it is today, and how the legacy of slavery and racism still haunts us. Also, this film reminds us that slavery was not that long ago. The narratives were taken in the mid 1930's. There are people alive today who can remember their grandparents who were born into slavery.

Q: Why do you think it is important for people, particularly youth, to learn about and experience the slave narratives?
A: The slave narratives give a human face to the slave experience. Being able to connect to these former slaves and learn in detail how they lived gives us a better understanding of this history.

Q: Oral histories provide a unique perspective on the past. If students want to create their own narratives using oral histories, what are the let things they should know before knowing about it?
A: The stories from family and friends should not be overlooked when searching for subjects. Also, it takes time to conduct a thorough interview. Perhaps meeting on more than one occasion with the subject will ease the interview process.

Q: With current technologies making communication and documentation so easy, do you think oral histories are as relevant today as they were in the past? How do you think technology will affect oral histories?
A: The information that comes from the oral histories is more important than how it was obtained. But modern technology makes it easier to collect and publish these stories.

Q: How has producing Unchained Memories affected you personally or your perspective on your own past?
A: The process of researching this film and reading hundreds of narratives made me understand on a very personal level the human cost of slavery and my own family's history. Despite the horrors of slavery, enslaved African-Americans were able to create a strong and rich culture which for me is a source of pride.

Q: Do you expect different take-aways from this documentary based on viewers' races and backgrounds, or is there a commonality to the experience that crosses ethnic and experiential lines?
A: I believe African-Americans may have a different and perhaps more personal experience in watching the film, but overall, everyone, regardless of race and ethnicity, will respond to the human themes.

Q: George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Do you agree, and does that have particular relevance to the work you've done in this documentary?
A: It is important to learn from the past. We have to understand the past to know who we are and how we got here and to, hopefully, learn from our mistakes.