Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Raymond De Felitta |
| Produced by | David Zellerford Yvette Johnson (co-producer) Steven C. Beer (executive producer) Lynn Roer (executive producer) |
| Editing by | George Gross |
| Studio | Eyepatch Productions |
| Release date(s) | April 25, 2012 |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story is a documentary film from 2012. It tells the story of Booker Wright, an African-American waiter. He worked in a restaurant that only served white customers. In 1965, Booker was in another short film called Mississippi: A Self Portrait. This film, made by NBC, showed what racism was like in the American South.
In that film, Booker bravely talked about racism and how he was treated at the restaurant. What he said on TV had very serious effects on his life. Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story was directed by Raymond De Felitta. He is the son of Frank De Felitta, who made the original film. One of Booker Wright's grandchildren, Yvette Johnson, helped produce the film. The documentary includes interviews with people who lived in the community. They share what life was like back then. They also talk about a restaurant Booker Wright owned, which served African-American customers.
The documentary first showed at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25, 2012.
The Original Story
The 1965 Film: Mississippi: A Self Portrait
The story of Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story starts with an older film. This film, called Mississippi: A Self Portrait, was made in 1965. Frank De Felitta, the director's father, produced it for NBC. Frank De Felitta was a documentary filmmaker. He often chose his own topics to explore.
He decided to make Mississippi: A Self Portrait after reading an article. The article in New York Times Sunday Magazine was about unfair treatment of African Americans in Mississippi. NBC approved his idea. He traveled to Mississippi to interview people living there. In a town called Greenwood, he met Booker Wright. Booker was a waiter at a restaurant called Lusco's. This restaurant was only for white customers.
Booker Wright had a special way of telling customers the menu. This was because the restaurant did not have printed menus. This was also a way to discourage African Americans from coming in. Booker spoke openly about how customers treated him. He also talked about living in a society with a lot of racism. His interview was shown on NBC television.
What Happened After the Broadcast
After the NBC documentary was shown, Booker Wright faced many challenges. He left his job at the restaurant for white customers. This was because customers started to avoid him. A policeman also hurt him badly. His own restaurant, Booker's Place, was damaged by fire. Later, Booker Wright was killed.
