Selma, Lord, Selma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Selma, Lord, Selma |
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| Written by | Cynthia Whitcomb |
| Directed by | Charles Burnett |
| Starring | Mackenzie Astin Jurnee Smollett Clifton Powell Ella Joyce Yolanda King |
| Music by | Stephen James Taylor |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Christopher Seitz |
| Cinematography | John Simmons |
| Editor(s) | Nancy Richardson |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Walt Disney Television |
| Distributor | Buena Vista Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | January 17, 1999 |
Selma, Lord, Selma is a 1999 American TV movie that tells a true story. It's a biography and drama about important events that happened in March 1965 in Selma, Alabama. These events are often called Bloody Sunday. The movie shows what happened through the eyes of a 9-year-old African-American girl named Sheyann Webb (played by Jurnee Smollett). The film was directed by Charles Burnett, a famous director known for his work in African-American independent cinema. It first aired on ABC on January 17, 1999.
Story of the Movie
The movie begins with Sheyann Webb playing outside with her friends. She sees Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entering Brown Chapel AME Church. Sheyann and her friends learn that Dr. King has come to Selma, Alabama. He is there to help African-American people get their right to vote.
Dr. King teaches Sheyann and her friend Rachel (Stephanie Zandra Peyton) many important lessons. He tells them that when asked, "Children, what do you want?" they should answer, "Freedom." He also teaches them that everyone deserves to be treated fairly, no matter their skin color. Dr. King explains that even children have a part to play in this fight for fairness.
Sheyann wants to help. She skips school to secretly attend the meetings. One night, a friend of Sheyann's named Jimmie Lee Jackson is killed. To bring attention to his death, people decide to organize a 54-mile march to the state capital of Alabama. The marchers plan to give a petition to Governor Wallace. They want to protest that African-Americans are not being treated fairly.
On Sunday, March 7, 1965, a day known as Bloody Sunday, Sheyann and other African-American protesters begin their march. As they cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on their way to Montgomery, they are attacked by police. Sheyann is the youngest person to try and join this march.
Later, in August, President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law was created to protect and make sure everyone's constitutional right to vote is followed. It also stopped unfair rules, like literacy tests, which were used to prevent people from voting.
Main Actors
- Jurnee Smollett — Sheyann Webb
- Clifton Powell — Martin Luther King Jr.
- Mackenzie Astin - Jonathan Daniels
- Ella Joyce — Betty Webb
- Yolanda King — Miss Bright
- Elisabeth Omilami — Amelia Boynton
- Afemo Omilami — John Webb
- Brett Rice — Sheriff Pots
- Margo Moorer — Alice West
- Von Coulter — Tom West
- Laura-Shay Griffin — Sallie Parker
- Danny Nelson — Father Whitaker
- Faruq Jenkins — Willie
- Stephanie Zandra Peyton — Rachel West
- Zach Rogers — Jimmie Lee Jackson
- L. Warren Young — Hosea Williams
- Bob Banks — Reverend Frederick D. Reese
- Richard Reed — John Lewis
- Ebony Curry — Billy Vickers (CEO)
Making the Movie
Selma, Lord, Selma is based on a book with the same name. The book was written in 1980 by Sheyann Webb, Rachel West, and Frank Sikora. Its full title is Selma, Lord, Selma: Girlhood Memories of the Civil-Rights Days. The University of Alabama Press published it. The book tells the story from Sheyann and Rachel's own memories.
Walt Disney Pictures decided to turn the book into a movie. The film was shown on the ABC television network on January 17, 1999. This was just one day before the national holiday celebrating Dr. King's birthday. Dr. King's daughter, Yolanda, acts in the movie as Miss Bright. She plays Sheyann's teacher, who marches with her. The music for the movie was created by Stephen James Taylor, with singing by Brides of the Wind.
Awards and Nominations
In 1999, Cynthia Whitcomb, who wrote the movie's script, was nominated for the Humanitas Prize. This award is for films that promote human dignity. She was nominated in the "Best 90-minute film" category. The winner that year was a show called NYPD Blue.
Selma, Lord, Selma was also nominated for an Image Award in 2000. This award celebrates outstanding achievements by people of color in film and television. It was nominated in the category of "Outstanding Television Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special."
More to Explore
- Civil rights movement in popular culture
- Selma, a 2014 movie that also shows the Selma to Montgomery marches and some of the same events and people.
