is the great debaters based on a true story

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How much of The Great Debaters was true?

Three of the four debaters were fictional. The film's writers took half of the names of authentic debaters and changed their last names. Hamilton Boswell became “Hamilton Burgess,” complete with the use of Boswell's nickname, “Ham.” Henry Heights became “Henry Lowe.” There was no woman on the team in 1935. ...

Who were the real life great debaters?

Two real-life characters in the movie -- Henrietta Wells, the only female member of the Wiley debate team, and Tolson's son, Mel Tolson Jr. -- told Washington not to get bogged down with racism, saying it was just a fact of life. "There was no 'woe is me,'" Washington said.

Who were the real Great debaters of Wiley College?

Farmer, Melvin Tolson Jr., Hamilton Boswell, Hobart Jarrett, and Henrietta Bell Wells all say the debate Benjamin Bell remembers was probably a 1937 Oxford University of England, a debate that was likely anti-climatic, since English debaters tended to entertain rather than to engage in true debate.

What is the story about The Great Debaters?

Poet and professor Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) teaches at the predominately black Wiley College in 1935 Texas. He decides to start a debate team, something nearly unheard of at a black college. While at first he butts heads with the influential father (Forest Whitaker) of one of his best debators, eventually he is able to form a team of strong-minded, intelligent young students, and they become the first black debate team to challenge Harvard's prestigious debate champions.The Great Debaters / Film synopsis

Did Wiley College really beat Harvard?

In 1935, the Wiley College debate team defeated the reigning national debate champion, the University of Southern California (depicted as Harvard University in The Great Debaters). In 2007, Denzel Washington announced a donation of $1 million to Wiley so the team could be re-established.

Why were the Wiley debaters so successful?

Successful? The Great Debaters were successful because they used strong and powerful words. They were very confident in what they believed. They never gave up even when challenged by Harvard.

Does Wiley College still exist?

Overall, Wiley College remains a viable force in the academic community. The institution continues to be a leader in innovation. It was the first “Thinkpad College” west of the Mississippi River.

Did The Great Debaters win?

The film depicts the Wiley Debate team beating Harvard College in the 1930s. The real Wiley team instead defeated the University of Southern California, who at the time were the reigning debating champions.

What is the tuition for Wiley College?

13,500 USD (2020 – 21)Wiley College / Undergraduate tuition and fees

What was the incident with the pig in The Great Debaters?

One example of this racial divide in The Great Debaters is a scene when James Farmer Sr. runs over a white man's pig. The two white pig farmers who owned the pig confront him about it: “You killed my hog…. It's gonna cost you $25” (The Great Debaters, 2007).

Who is the youngest member on the debate team great debaters?

Denzel WhitakerIn “Debaters,” we meet Farmer, played by Denzel Whitaker (no relation) when he is the youngest debater on the team, all of 14 years of age.

Who was the female debater in The Great Debaters?

Henrietta Bell WellsHenrietta Bell Wells, the first woman on the debate team of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, which rose to national prominence in the 1930s and inspired last year's movie “The Great Debaters,” has died. She was 96.

Who is the youngest member on the debate team great debaters?

Denzel WhitakerIn “Debaters,” we meet Farmer, played by Denzel Whitaker (no relation) when he is the youngest debater on the team, all of 14 years of age.

Did The Great Debaters beat the debaters from Harvard University What was the last motion?

The film depicts the Wiley Debate team beating Harvard College in the 1930s. The real Wiley team instead defeated the University of Southern California, who at the time were the reigning debating champions.

Who are the 3 main characters in The Great Debaters?

CastNate Parker as Henry Lowe.Jurnee Smollett as Samantha Booke.Jermaine Williams as Hamilton Burgess.Denzel Washington as Melvin Tolson.

Did Zac Efron do speech and debate?

He truly is just a normal kid, who you can chat about anything and everything with...from being on his high school speech and debate team to how to make the perfect smoothie! Speech and Debate? Yup, back in the day on the set of Summerland, Zac had qualified for nationals.

What is the Great Debaters based on?

It is based on an article written about the Wiley College debate team by Tony Scherman for the spring 1997 issue of American Legacy.

How much did The Great Debaters grosse?

The Great Debaters debuted at No. 11 in its first weekend with a total of $6,005,180 from 1,171 venues. The film grossed $30,236,407 in the US.

Where was Denzel Washington's debate filmed?

June 2007, after completing filming at Central High School, Grand Cane, Louisiana, Washington donated $10,000 to Central High School.

Is the movie The Great Debaters based on a true story?

Based on a true story, the plot revolves around the efforts of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson ( Denzel Washington) at Wiley College, a historically black college related to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (now The United Methodist Church ), to place his team on equal footing with whites in the American South during the 1930s, when Jim Crow laws were common and lynch mobs were a fear for blacks. The Wiley team eventually succeeds to the point where they are able to debate Harvard University. (In 1935, the Wiley College debate team defeated the reigning national debate champion, the University of Southern California, depicted as Harvard University in The Great Debaters).

Where was The Great Debaters filmed?

“The Great Debaters” is based on the true story of the Wiley College debate team, and the events in the film take place in 1935 at the small historical Black college in Marshall, Texas . The film was the first since 1979 to be allowed to film on Harvard’s campus.

What is the racial divide in The Great Debaters?

Another more prominent issue throughout the film is racism in segregated, 1930s Texas. There is a clear divide between blacks and white within the town that is critiqued and pointed out heavily throughout the film. One example of this racial divide in The Great Debaters is a scene when James Farmer Sr. runs over a white man’s pig. The two white pig farmers who owned the pig confront him about it: “You killed my hog…. It’s gonna cost you $25” ( The Great Debaters, 2007). When Farmer says he doesn’t have that much, one of the farmers pulls a gun on him. Out of fear, Farmer gives the pig farmers his Wiley College paycheck rather than standing up to them. This scene displays the fear that black people had of white people during that time. It was easy to be remained tight-lipped and compliant to what white people wanted and expected from black people. Another example of the racial divide is the midnight lynching that Professor Tolson and his students observe on their way to Prairie View. Professor Tolson continues to drive until he sees what appears to be a white lynch mob gathered around a tree. Everyone in the car remains silent and Henry Lowe pulls out a knife in fear, causing Tolson to ask, “What are you doing?” Before Lowe can do anything, Tolson urges him to get back in the car. By then, the lynch mob starts to notice Tolson’s stopped car. Tolson urges his students to get down now that the mob knows there are black people in the car. Because they know this, they proceed to chase down Tolson’s car until they are too tired. During the chase, his car is shot at and the students are visibly terrified as they hide under the seats of the car. This scene is a more frighteningly real depiction of the black people and the fear they had for their lives in the Jim Crow South. The fight for the Wiley College debate team becomes about more than just saying the right things in a debate, but also overcoming the continued fear, oppression and control of whites in the South.

What is the movie "Underdog" about?

Cynthia Fuchs of Common Sense Media called it an “ earnest-till-it-hurts film [that] has a lot of the characteristics of the typical “underdog” movie: personal hardship, social oppression, and resilient spirits”.

What is the third most important aspect of the racial divide?

The third most important aspect of the racial divide is the difference between black and white thought. For black people in the 1930s South, it is about recovering self-esteem and self-worth in the aftermath of a period of slavery that sought to destroy the black mind.

Is The Great Debaters historically accurate?

Whether completely historically accurate or not, The Great Debaters showcases the power of the black voice, rhetorical debate, and fighting for what you believe in despite racial constraints and gender stereotypes. The politics of Jim Crow are alive and well in the 1930s and that is made evident in several instances in the film.

Is The Great Debaters based on a true story?

Based on a true story, The Great Debaters tells the story of Wiley College’s Professor Melvin Tolson as he leads his African-American debate team to victory. However, in 1930’s segregated Texas, this task proves to be hard with racism, hatred, and prejudice at an all time high. Throughout The Great Debaters, the line of division between black people and white people is drawn and depicted through the education of the Wiley College students. From this, issues of predominantly black and white thought, sexism and racism arise and are critiqued heavily throughout the film.

Storyline

Marshall, Texas, described by James Farmer, Jr. as "the last city to surrender after the Civil War," is home to Wiley College, where, in 1935-36, inspired by the Harlem Renaissance and his clandestine work as a union organizer, Professor Melvin Tolson coaches the debate team to a nearly-undefeated season that sees the first debate between U.S.

Did you know

On December 19, 2007, Denzel Washington announced a $1 million dollar gift to Wiley College, so they could re-establish their debate team.

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Overview

Plot

Based on a true story, the plot revolves around the efforts of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) at Wiley College, a historically black college related to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (now The United Methodist Church), to place his team on equal footing with whites in the American South during the 1930s, when Jim Crow laws were common and lynch mobs were a fear for blacks. The Wiley team eventually succeeds to the point where they are abl…

Historical notes

Cast

Release

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Soundtrack

External links