Melvin B. Tolson, and actor Denzel Washington in the film The Great Debaters (MGM/TWC)
The Great Debaters (opening on Christmas day throughout San Diego) looks to an amazing story that was brought to light in 1997 by Tony Scherman in an article for American Legacy Magazine . The article highlighted the story of the Wiley College debate team. The small African American College was located in Marshall , Texas, and the story is set against the racism of the Jim Crow South. During the 1930s, the college's debate team went on to a historic winning season, taking on a number of white colleges. In the same decade that Jesse Owens would win gold at the Berlin Olympics in a display of black athletic skill that would challenge Hitler's Aryan myths, the Wiley debate team would display their intellectual prowess to shake up white American stereotypes about African American students. The remarkable Melvin B. Tolson coached the young debaters and impressed upon them the idea that knowledge is both power and their greatest asset.
Wendy Clarke
January 07, 2008 at 01:43 AM
I have not seen the movie, I plan to see it along with my husband and my two sons ages 14 and 8. We live in the Bahamas. Everywhere I go people are ytalking about the story line and the great performs the actors put out. In my opinion it is a hit. I admire Oprah ever since i was in college at Praiire View A & M University back in 1984. I arrange my schelude my classes around the Oprah show to make sure I was near a tv at 4:00 p.m., now it is not so easy because I work 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. you bettre believe whenever I can see Oprah show I am there watching I love her. I work as a Social Worker in the Bahamas for the past 19 years I am trying to change careers into HR after completing a MHRM in 2004 at Nova Southeastern University, it's hard trying to make that change.
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Paula Baron
January 07, 2008 at 11:48 PM
Great movie. Should be wonderful for history classes to see and discuss.
Just curious though if anyone knows. Did James Farmer, Jr. really win that first black/white debate which was actually at USC or was this just a device for the movie?
Beth Accomando
January 08, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Paula,
James Farmer Jr. was 14 when he joined the debate team. I haven't been able to determine if he actually was one of the debaters at USC but the subject was apparently different than the one used in the film.
Here are links with more information on the facts of the story:
http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/content/news/opinion/120907_WEB_latham.html
http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/featr/content/features/greatdebaters/farmer_tolson.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=5
Edna Hendricks
January 08, 2008 at 04:13 AM
I too am a huge fan of Oprah, and have been from day one. Everything Oprah does, she does with passion. The Great Debaters is about passion. Passion and the positive results of something done passionately. A strong desire to be the best, doing your very best you can. The results are up to somethng greater then you or I. However, the feeling is aweaome, and often times breathless.
The movie was fantastic, I was going to see it anyway, howeer, my Pastor encourage the entire Congregation to go see the movie, and experience through others what passion can produce.
Beth Accomando
January 08, 2008 at 06:11 PM
I'm glad to hear that word is spreading about the film.
Jessica Golding
January 12, 2008 at 12:03 AM
I saw the movie and everyone in the theater was moved beyond words. It did not matter wether you were black or white or any other nationality. The story was done beautifully. I read one critic who said that the characters were not believable, that you did not feel that these were real people. I disagree- I went home and immediately began googleing james farmer, henry lowe etc.The characters were so real to me, I felt transported as if I were in the movie, experiencing what they were. It was funny, it was inciteful, it was tragic and it was moving. The lynching scene was well handled. It could have gone wrong but it didn't. I respect Oprah because when she does decide to do a project, she throws herself into it. The same can be said of Denzell. The really care that the audience is drawn in. I dare anyone to go see that movie and not be effected.
