5 films to enjoy on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to learn about his works and the civil rights movement
On January 15, the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been 96 years old. He was the king Assassinated In April 1968 at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. His death left millions saddened, however The foundation he did In the civil rights movement he would leave a lasting legacy.
The road to making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday has been a long one; This was not done until nearly 20 years after the idea was presented to Congress. The king’s supporters struggled to obtain the rightful honor. We celebrate it today by doing acts of service in our communities. For those whose service projects end early, here are five films You can enjoy it Recognition of the king’s work.
The Long House (1990)
Future EGOT Award winner Whoopi Goldberg plays Odessa Carter, a maid for a wealthy white family in Birmingham, Alabama. Carter joins the struggle for civil rights by choosing to walk miles to and from work in support of the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott.
At first, her boss Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek) doesn’t understand her plight but drives Carter to and from work a few days a week to make sure she gets to work on time. Thompson ultimately supports the entire movement and shows her support by carpooling with other black workers. As Thompson’s compassion grows, she receives grief from the white community, including her husband.
flow Long March home Today on Toby and the Prime Minister.
Four Little Girls (1997)
This powerful documentary directed by Spike Lee recounts the devastating aftermath of the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama that left four African-American girls dead. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carol Robertson and Cynthia Wesley were murdered at 16th Street Baptist Church while they were changing in the choir on Sunday morning.
The killings sparked pressure for civil rights legislation and sparked outrage over racially inspired atrocities in the South. The documentary features first-hand accounts from the parents, friends and living relatives of the four girls. The subsequent trials of the men responsible for the bombing whom the community fought to hold accountable are also explored.
flow Four little girls On Max and Prime.
The Help (2011)
Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer do a great job As two black maids working in the South during the intense civil rights era. Despite unfair conditions and threats of punishment, both women bravely decide to provide details of their lives to a young white writer writing an article about the Jim Crow South.
Emma Stone plays a writer who the audience discovers was raised by a black maid, leading her to change the inequality in her city. Spencer won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
flow Help On Disney+.
The Butler (2013)
Based on a true story, butler The film stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines, a native of the Deep South who immigrates to Washington, D.C., and finds work as a butler in the White House. He worked there for 34 years serving several presidential administrations with different views.
One of Gene’s sons (David Oyelowo) becomes active in the civil rights movement and grows estranged from his father, whom he begins to resent for what he sees as a negative personality. His commitment to his job also causes a dispute between him and his wife, played by Oprah Winfrey.
flow butler On the Prime Minister.
Salma (2014)
David Oyelowo returns to another civil rights-infused project in a period piece directed by Ava DuVernay Selma. Oyelowo plays Martin Luther King Jr. as he leads the fight for the right to vote for African Americans.
Despite violent opposition and the reluctance of President Lyndon Johnson’s administration to make black voting legal, King and his followers continued to press forward with an unprecedented nonviolent march from Selma to Montgomery. Their efforts resulted in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Selma It received critical acclaim and won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Song from a Motion Picture Soundtrack for its lead single “Glory” featuring John Legend and Common.
flow Selma On Paramount+ and Netflix.
