AllMovie

Native Americans continue to struggle under a heavy burden of silent discrimination that's weakening their communities and even their health. High unemployment rates and substandard housing are just two of the problems that often confront them. This Bill Moyers program, The Broken Cord: Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris, looks at the devastating consequences of these problems, pushing a number of Native Americans into alcoholism as they struggle to cope or escape. Moyers interviews Louise Erdrich and the late Michael Dorris, parents of an adopted son suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome. The program also notes the sudden and unexpected death of Dorris while this show was still being filmed.