Prom Night in Mississippi
A unique event was set into motion when the Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman decided to sponsor and pay for an integrated prom in his home town of Charleston, Mississippi. He was turned down once in 1997 and tried again in 2000, this time being accepted by the school board. The school of 435 students with a majority of Afro American students had never had an integrated senior prom and he wanted to give them the opportunity to participate The integrated student council did a wonderful job planning the event with courage and perseverance.
The idea of a mixed prom instead of two segregated ones brought out a lot of deeply masked racial anger and resentments from the white community with generational of prejudice. Some white parents decided to have their own segregated prom and forced attendance from their sons and daughters with threats and other types of intimidation.
Canadian Director Paul Saltzman, www.afana.org/saltzman.htm two time Emery Award winner and producer of 300 productions did an great job, expertly telling the moving story of the of the prom from start to finish with commentaries by Freeman.
One of the most moving parts of the film was the story of a young interracial couple and the white father whose love and support for his daughter gradually changed his beliefs.
The last word goes to senior Chasidy Buckley “It was just magnificent. That night, when we stepped in that door, everybody just had a good time. We proved ourselves wrong. We proved the community wrong, because they didn’t think that it was going to happen.” www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91371629
In my opinion the documentary shows a similar parallel of simmering racial prejudice which has been surfacing again in the current treatment of President Obama.
This thoughtful documentary is worth seeing and will be shown at the famed Vancouver International Film Festival. October 11 6pm – Granville 7, Screen #5
October 13 1:30pm – Granville 7, Screen #7
For more information go to www www.viff.org | www.vifc.org
