One year after its October 28, 2024 streaming debut on DailyWire+, Matt Walsh’s documentary ‘Am I Racist?’ remains a flashpoint in debates over diversity, equity and inclusion. Released in theaters on September 13, 2024, the film grossed about $12.3 million domestically, drew strong audience scores, received limited attention from top critics, and failed to make the Academy’s documentary shortlist.
In the fall of 2024—not June 2023—Daily Wire host Matt Walsh premiered ‘Am I Racist?’ in U.S. theaters before bringing it to DailyWire+ six weeks later. Box Office Mojo lists a $4.54 million opening weekend from 1,517 theaters and a domestic total of roughly $12.31 million, making it the highest‑grossing documentary of 2024, though not of the past decade. According to Rotten Tomatoes and trade coverage, the title’s reach to more than 1,500 theaters was unusual for a documentary, and it posted a 96% verified audience score, while professional reviews were comparatively sparse for such a wide release. It did not appear on the Academy’s 97th‑Oscars documentary shortlist.
The film targets the modern DEI industry through undercover set‑pieces and interviews. Walsh sits for trainings and engages prominent advocates, including ‘White Fragility’ author Robin DiAngelo and activist Saira Rao. A widely discussed scene shows DiAngelo handing cash to Walsh’s Black producer during a reparations‑themed exchange; New York Post coverage previewed and described the clip ahead of release. Separately, Rao and her Race2Dinner co‑founder Regina Jackson criticized the production; The Post Millennial reported that Rao, in a virtual event, privately called the movie a “fascist Nazi white supremacy film.”
By the numbers, the film’s theatrical footprint and grosses are well documented. Box Office Mojo records a widest‑release count of 1,600 theaters and $12.31 million domestic. Rotten Tomatoes lists an October 28, 2024 streaming date on DailyWire+ and shows a mid‑90s audience approval, while the critic review count remained limited relative to the film’s scale. The Academy’s official shortlist announcement for the 97th Oscars confirms the film was not among the 15 documentary features advancing.
Daily Wire continued to build around the title in early 2025. Platform listings show a commentary cut released February 27, 2025 and a behind‑the‑scenes companion, ‘Clearing the A.I.R.: The Making of Am I Racist?,’ released March 5, 2025 on DailyWire+.
The movie’s release also coincided with an evolving policy and workplace landscape around DEI. After President Donald Trump’s January 20, 2025 inauguration, the White House issued orders directing federal agencies to unwind DEI initiatives, moves that have faced legal challenges. In higher education, several universities downsized or closed DEI offices in early 2025, citing federal directives or state laws; Reuters and The Washington Post reported such steps at the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia, among others. In the private sector, some large companies reevaluated DEI programs as the political climate shifted, TIME reported.
What ‘Am I Racist?’ does—by design—is let footage of trainings and advocates speak for itself, with Walsh’s persona supplying the satirical framing. Supporters describe the approach as exposing hypocrisy; critics argue it simplifies complex issues. Whatever the interpretation, the film’s one‑year streaming anniversary arrives with a verifiable box‑office record for 2024, an unusually wide release for a documentary, strong audience reception, limited engagement from top critics, and no Oscar shortlist berth.