The Great Debaters (2007)

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The Great Debaters was released on December 25, 2007, in the USA. The American Drama film was produced by Harpo Films. The movie storyline was written by Robert Eisele, and directed by Denzel Washington. The movie is based on a true story of Wiley College Debate Teams in the 1930s[1].

Plot

In the mid-1930s, Professor Tolson (Denzel Washington) creates an African American debate team at Wiley College. He wants to prove that African American students are also as excellent as the white students in a debate competition. The team that is assembled by him is comprised of four students which are Samantha; James; Henry; and Hamilton. Through the competition, the team and Professor Tolson see how injustice is done to African American people and the terror that is given to them. Although Prof. Tolson engages in an illegal political action and has to go through several trials, the debate team goes strongly and wins many matches. Wiley College Debate Team has become a famous debate team and finally, they are asked to compete with the best debate in the USA at the time, the debate team from Harvard University. After a long debate match with Harvard University, Wiley College Debate Team finally win the debate competition and claimed to be the best debate team as the young James step up to the champion stage. In the end, the Wiley College Debate team continues defending their first champion title in the national debate competition for ten years. [2].

James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker) in The Great Debaters[3]

Black Empowerment

Professor Tolson proves that African American students have the capability with the White students in terms of the debate competition. As the movie portrays, the Wiley College debate team wins each their match against other college debate teams which eventually leads to declared as the best college debate team in America since they have defeated the best contender debate team, Harvard University. This does not only show that African American students are good in a debate, but Professor Tolson also demonstrates that African American people should not be timid as African American people also have the same intelligence as other races too.

Controversy

The movie shows how the harsh circumstances of racism that governs the Southern of the USA in the 1930s. In one scene, the debate team sees a lifeless African American man hanging on a tree. This is not shown only once, as the lynching of African American people is quite common at the time, especially in the south region. While the white people around the lifeless man are taking pleasure in the dead body. The movie also displays how the oppression of African American people was done by threatening the people at several community events. [4].

References