The movie-made Movement: civil rites of passage
Read the article, “The movie-made Movement: civil rites of passage” by Sharon Monteith
Take note of the different themes of various movies she discusses and the overall argument she makes regarding Civil Rights movies.
Watch either the movie Just Mercy (2019)or the movie Selma (2014).
NOTE: The movie Selma has graphic depictions of violence that may be difficult to watch. On the other hand, Just Mercy eludes to violence but does not actually show graphic scenes. Take this into consideration when choosing which movie to watch.There may be other ways you can watch one of these movies, but for those who do not have access to Amazon, YouTube, or other such sites, can stream the movies for free through the library.
After watching one of the movies, write a 4-5 page paper that addresses the following questions:
Does the movie you watched relate to one of the themes Sharon Monteith discusses in her article?
Consider the argument made from the article, “History has less epistemological hold on movies than memory.” Does the movie you saw prove or disprove this statement? In what way?
And, also consider the year the movie came out. What does the theme of the movie say about how society at the time of release “sees” the Civil Rights Movement?
