Black History Month in Atlanta
Atlanta, the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, kicked off Black History Month with a screening of the movie “Behind the Movement” at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The movie details Rosa Parks' arrest after declining to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger and how her actions that day set the wheels in motion for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and ultimately the Civil Rights Movement.
The upcoming original film, “Behind The Movement” is set to premiere on TV One on February 11, 2018, at 7/6C.
Behind the Movement
Set during the tumultuous Civil Rights era, Behind The Movement offers a closer look at how Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger launched the history-making Montgomery Bus Boycott. This original made for television movie honors the contributions of many unsung heroes of this watershed moment in the Civil Rights struggle, recounting the inner workings and behind the scenes preparation that took place during three intense days between the fateful evening when Parks refused to give up her seat, to the launch of this significant protest. While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, there was a chorus of lesser-known heroes, including Rosa Parks, who galvanized the most successful boycott of its time.
Diversity in Entertainment – Black TV Film Crew
Behind the Movement features:
- Meta Golding (“The Hunger Games”) as Rosa Parks
- Roger Guenveur Smith (“American Gangster”) as Raymond Parks
- Loretta Devine (“Waiting to Exhale”) as Jo Ann Robinson
- Isaiah Washington (“E.D. Nixon”) as Edgar
- Shaun Clay as (“Crazy, Sexy, Cool: The TLC Story”) Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Derek Roberts (“Geostorm”) as Fred Gray
- Keith Arthur Bolden (“Goosebumps) as Rev. Ralph Abernathy
Jane Gunter
My family and I had the pleasure of attending the movie screening and we got a pleasant surprise while waiting in line to enter the auditorium. We met Jane Gunter who was on the bus the day in 1955 when Rosa Parks was arrested. Jane offered her seat on the bus to Rosa Parks.
Click here to see a video detailing Jane's experience courtesy of Richard Morris:
My Review
We loved the movie and highly recommend watching this movie with your children to show them the importance of one woman making a sacrifice to obtain civil rights for all. Civil rights are human rights.
My favorite part of the movie was the dedication to Emmett Till at the end. In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was murdered while visiting his extended family in Mississippi. Emmett Till was kidnapped, tortured, mutilated, shot, and then weighed down and thrown into the Tallahatchie River. He was just a little boy.
A white woman named Carolyn Bryant told her husband that Emmett said lewd things to her, whistled at her, and grabbed her hand. However, she has changed her version of her interaction with young Emmett a few times over the years. Two men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Miliam, were arrested and then acquitted by an all-white, all-male jury in under an hour for the lynching of Emmett Till. They later admitted that they did indeed kill him.
In 2017, Carolyn Bryant revealed to Duke University Professor, Timothy Dyson, that she exaggerated her interactions with Emmett Till. Mr. Dyson wrote a book entitled “The Blood of Emmett Till,” and he goes into detail about his interview with Carolyn Bryant and the account of Emmett Till's death. A young man was brutally murdered all because of her lies. Regardless of what took place between Emmett Till and Carolyn Bryant, it did not justify his kidnapping and brutal death. It is important to remember Emmett Till and so many other black men and women that were murdered because of the color of their skin. We must remember so that history does not repeat itself.
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18 Comments. Leave new
This is such an important time of the year, and deserves much more attention than it gets, in my opinion. This looks like a great special to watch, that everyone should be watching. Can’t wait to see this myself. It’s strong people in this world, like those who pushed for the Civil Rights Movement, that we should all be modelling ourselves after every single day.
Ohhh I really want to watch this, thank you for sharing. I hadn’t heard of it before! This sounds like an important watch.
That’s so great that you got to see the premier! What a special time to have with your family! The winter is a great time to head to the movies. I’ll definitely put this one on my list! Thank you for sharing!
I’m going to look for this movie to watch it. I happy to see that they created a movie for Rosa Parks.
I’d totally forgotten about that important time in history created by Rosa Parks until I read your post! I’m really excited about seeing this film now!
This movie looks to have a wonderful story line! My daughters are reading a book about Rosa Parks in school right now and this would be a great companion to it.
Oh I definitely want to watch this! Rosa Parks changed history and its great to see it being bought to life in movie form!
What a timely movie! I haven’t seen the trailer, but am gonna get it on VUDU as soon as it’s available.
This sounds like such a powerful movie! It sounds inspiring, educational, and entertaining all at once.
This sounds like such an interesting film to watch! It comes during such an influential month, as well!
I’ve heard about this one and it has caught my eye for days now. It’s amazing how a movie can really hook you in using a powerful yet unfair scenario, waiting for justice until the end and getting the bigger picture.
Such a powerful movie and such a important moment in history to be remembered. We need to inform and educate more people about the history.
I love Rosa Parks, and studying the human rights movement has always been something I am passionate about. This movie is so needed now!
I really want to watch this! I agree with the commenter above on black history month doesn’t get enough attention!
Lauren
wow what a cool experience for you all (ive never been to a movie premier!) and looks like a great film. My 6 year old brought home a book about Rosa Parks and it was fascinating. She was very interested in her.
I feel like Black History Month often comes and goes without it being given enough attention. I would really want to see this!
So, so powerful. Thank you for sharing.
This looks like a great movie to watch! Will definitely keep an eye out for it.