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Eyes on the Prize on PBS This Month
The critically celebrated Eyes on the Prize documentary, first released in 1987 but no less poignant and affecting today, is airing on PBS' American Experience this month. The film, which won six Emmys and was nominated for an Academy Award, is a 14-hour look at the civil-rights movement from 1954 to 1985, and it is a startlingly beautiful portrait of the long march undertaken by the ordinary but extraordinarily brave people who fought a system that was determined to fight back.
Airing in two-hour blocks, the first premiered last night with a detailed discussion of the early days of the movement. One of this documentary's resounding strengths is its remarkable collection of period footage. The trial for the sickening murder of Emmett Till, for example, told through period videos and photos, includes a press interview with Mamie Till Mobley in which she describes the courtroom where the accused were acquitted for her son's murder. Her statement "What I saw was a shame before God and man" exemplifies the simple, understated yet awful power of this film. Using rarely seen or heard interviews and audio recordings, the filmmakers uncover secret, backstage negotiations and behind-the-scenes conversations that lend a further depth to the struggle — such as John F. Kennedy's phone conversation with Ross Barnett, the Mississippi governor who threatened to shut down the University of Mississippi campus if the federal government tried to register black student James Meredith. We also see a montage of news footage from the Little Rock desegregation riots, which is narrated with dignity and emotion by two of the black students chosen to attend Little Rock's Central High. These powerful clips also serve to reveal another surprising aspect of the early part of the civil-rights struggle — that it was a movement driven in great part by women. Images of teenage girls such as the Little Rock Nine and Diane Nash, as well as hardworking, tired mothers such as Mobley, Rosa Parks and Myrlie Evers, give us a glimpse of a side of the movement that was humble, pretty, and shockingly young for their show of an articulate wisdom far beyond their years.
The doc also compiles an astonishing soundtrack that is so powerful it becomes a character in and of itself. Freedom anthems, hymns and protest songs such as "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round"; "Oh Pritchett, Oh Kelley"; the famous "We Shall Overcome" (which was later quoted in a speech by Lyndon Johnson); and the incredible and unforgettable "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" all come together as a symphony of strong-hearted struggle. Some songs even used humor and lighthearted cheer to keep up protesters' spirits, such as "You Better Leave Segregation Alone" and the doo-wop-inspired "Governor Wallace." Clips of each can be heard at the PBS website's audio archive.
The remaining episodes, airing each Monday through Oct. 16, look at the Freedom Riders, the march on Washington, and the pivotal role that college students of both races played in the movement.
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Oct 3, 2006 2:41 PM
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Amen and Amen!
Every person, whether Black, White, Plaid or Stripe, should see this remarkable documentary. It is soul stirring, life changing and an eye opener about real heroes who sacrificed life and limb for equal rights guaranteed in the Bible and the American Constitution.
It takes a hard look at the prejudices and hatred of man against his fellow man but also a group of people's determination for a better life and to fulfill dreams.
I hope parents and grandparents will sit down with their family and let these heart wrenching pictures tell the stories of the atrocities in occurred in America. I hope every young person of color will embrace this film as they do other feature films and help to keep the dream alive.
I personally thank you for putting the word out there and I will share it with my congregation, family and friends. 
RevVee
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Oct 5, 2006 3:43 PM
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