The Great Debaters Movie Review

Narrator: In the 1950s and 60s, racial segregation was still prevalent in the United States and Australia. There were many people, including government bodies, who wanted to solve this problem of racism and desegregate the American society. On the 17th of May 1954, the US Supreme Court decided that segregation in America’s public schools was ‘unconstitutional’. So, the US government decided to enrol 9 black American teenagers in the Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. 5 years later, another African American, James Meredith, decided to enrol in the University Ole Miss in Mississippi. He was twice denied admission, but he filed a law suit against them, with the case eventually settling in 1962. His enrolment received severe backlash,

Johnathon Scott Halloway’s Confronting the Veil explores the scholarly and social history of Abram Harris Jr., E. Franklin Frazier, and Ralph Bunche during their early careers. These notable men formed an alliance that led the Division of Social Sciences at Howard University during the New Deal. During these years they eventually started a movement of young black radical scholars. At the nucleus of their intellectual radicalism was the notion that class status was to blame for African American’s more than race for black Americans’ degraded position in society. This notion was compared to idea that race was the issue and the answer to the question of Holloway’s study of Harris, Frazier, and Bunche exam ines how the three promoted the

Racism is a controversial point that has been taking place in the United States since early times. This same point was affecting students in the University of Missouri since several months ago. The Missouri University’s president Timothy Wolfe has been accused of not taking action against the persistent racial epithets and actions in the university. After the biased demise of Michael Brown, by a white police officer, an abundant number of students and faculty members were inspired by this incident and held demonstrations and protests against segregation. However, the crucial impact that cause Wolfe’s retirement of his responsibilities as a President of the University was the Football boycott. The country’s most dominant college football league

My paper will discuss the continuing influence of Booker T. Washington's writings on historically black colleges. While my paper will focus on the ways in which the historically black college continues to adhere to the model provided by Washington, it will also explore the ways in which it diverges from the early Hampton-Tuskegee ideal. According to James D. Anderson in The Education of Blacks in the South, both contemporary observers and later historians have portrayed the white south as taking a monolithic view of black education. However, many secondary schools in the south did not emphasize the kind of industrial education advocated by Washington. In the same manner,

This is an ideal conversation between Gary Howard, Peggy McIntosh, Joel Spring, and myself. I will address issues such as racism, white privilege, and the American school system. The purpose of this interview is to see each of their different views. I would also like to see the contrast between their perspective and also the points they agree on.

The discriminating social stratification in 1950’s developed a set of servile behavior on the blacks. They were thought to be inferior to whites, and were treated accordingly. Moreover, different parts of the country had various ranges of sensitivities while dealing with the blacks. For example, in Mississippi things were particularly tense after the Parker lynch case. No black man would dare look into any white man’s eyes in fear of the repercussions. On the bus, a man warned Griffin to watch himself closely until he caught onto Mississippi’s ways. In an extreme case like this, it was vital to learn about their roles and behave accordingly.

The movie Remember the Titans directed by Boaz Yakin is based on the racial and social tensions of the South. Alexandria, Virginia. This community was torn apart by racial conflicts, when it was ordered to combine their public schools. Cautiously, the school board replaces the popular white coach, Bill Yoast (Will Patton), with Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), a creditable black coach, as head coach of the T.C Williams Titans Football team. Boone, after the coaching switch up, invites Yoast to come back and join the team while being the new coach of the defensive line. Yoast accepts and together they inspire, not just a team, but the whole town to stop and “trust the soul of a man rather than the look of him”. This paper will cover a critical time in American history, when a 1971 Supreme Court mandate required southern school districts to finally end segregation. The drive to put white and African American children in the same educational classrooms was the most vital and potentially pervasive aspect of the civil-right movement. Based on actual events that happened during that time, the movie Remember the Titans shows it’s audience how to deal with the issue of racism and illustrates how one can overcome prejudice by uniting for a common cause or goal. This movie and essay will not only provide an impacting lesson of racism, but will also teach and provide examples of trust, loyalty, unity, and integrity.

During the mid-1930’s, racism against coloured people was a very prominent topic in America. In the Film The Great Debaters created by Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey, the debate team and their fellow African Americans are truly discouraged by the white characters. However, these ambitious individuals decide to stick to their goals and push for success. James is one of the main protagonists in the film who progressively becomes more confident. The whole team also perceived racism and hate in such a way that made them want to bring change in their own, and their people’s lives. Despite oppression, the film demonstrates that the minority are still motivated to succeed.

Racism was a never-ending process during the World War II in order to prove this; the act of 1960’s freedom riders was a crucial one. As mentioned in the class discussions, “Freedom riders consisted of seven blacks and six white individuals whose goals were to travel together south in a bus to defeat segregation among the races” (lecture, March 10). Having the opportunity to watch the film, Freedom Riders was outrageous and demoralizing because hearing each one of the freedom riders point of view traumatized me on how the American supreme court were toward them.

During a fifty-three year span, on 1920-1973, Charles Harris was one of the most highly revered and a respected speaker. In his background in education, history, labor, and religion provided him a world-view of African-American life and culture which placed him in demand throughout the country. He wrote many of his speeches in a long hand and often delivered them from his draft. His speeches reflected a message, usually proving a glimpse of our heritage and what as an African American needed to do in order to better our lives.

Amid the 1930's it was a defining moment for African Americans lives since they needed to change their life. In the film The Great Debaters by Denzel Washington shows the debaters overcame racism in the debating community. The debaters used their experiences as the minority group to create an emotional attachment with the audience. The team was not a respected team by the white community but rather the team constantly pushed towards to reach their goals. Regardless of being the minority group, the team uses credibility and emotion to win their debate competitions.

Revolving around Wiley College students, The Great Debaters plot emphasizes the importance of fighting white ignorance by educating the black youth. Because of the attention given to professor Melvin B. Tolson’s teachings, the character is greatly developed, his speeches exemplifying a vast knowledge of history and literature. A particular example of Tolson’s passion towards teaching comes in the form of rather disturbing dialogue, his rant directed towards Henry Lowe -a smart aleck on the debate time. For, when asking the four students about themselves, Lowe challenges Tolson’s tactics, instead investigating his professor. Yet the avid educator does not take this lightly, he -in a dramatic fashion- recounting the story of British slave owner Willie Lynch, Tolson describing in great detail the Englishman’s inhumane treatment of his slaves. Once Tolson’s students are stunned into silence, he justifies sharing Lynch’s story by applying it to the group’s current circumstances, then summarizing the cruel man’s philosophy, “Keep the slave physically strong, but psychologically weak and dependent on the slavemaster.” This portion of Tolson’s speech exhibits his purpose for teaching, he believing that an educated African-American is no match against

Basically in a University known as University of Missouri, Dr. Brooks an African American who teaches “Race and Ethnic Relations” was having a discussion with his

In the early years of Fisk University’s history, the enrolled students considered themselves part of a talented tenth that was primed for positions of leadership among the race. According to historian Joe M. Richardson, “Fisk students were not content just to write about equal rights, they worked actively to retain or secure them (Berry 2005). Before 1924, racial tension at Fisk University concerning white leadership during this time simply foreshadowed future efforts by eager black students determined to emerge from their marginal status in society (Berry 2005). During the administration of Dr. Fayettee McKenzie from 1915-1925, tension over policies grew into conflict. Some of the policies enforced focused more

It can be said that Paul Farmer’s upbringing shaped the person he’d become in his later years. In a constant state of uncertainty about his father’s approval, Farmer excelled in school. In addition, his family moved around a lot, as Farmer’s