Eyes on the Prize, Movie Review Example

Eyes on the Prize was produced by Blackside and tells the complicated struggle told by ordinary men and women who fought for their inalienable rights through the civil rights era which has even structured the legislation and political structures of our society today. The movie exemplifies particular struggles of men and women who fought to ride on the same bus, fought to go to the same schools, vote in the same elections and simply exist equally in the same society. There is much focus on organized peaceful demonstrations that were collaborated in the northern and southern states but breached with brutal police force stating there was incompatibility with rights of the Constitution. Actually these peaceful rights of assembly were in fact in accordance with human rights and police brutalities were infringements of the rights given to all men under the original Constitution. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and gave all men and women equal rights as well as the Slavery Act of 1833 in the United Kingdom. Further the Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave equal voting rights to men and women across the United States.

Juan Williams wrote a book on this same documentary with characters who appear in the films including “Reverend Ralph Abernathy, the leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Coretta Scott King, the wife of the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King and self-activist, Kwame Ture, leader of the student non-violent coordinating committee, and George Wallace, the 1960’s Alabama governor who resisted integration.” (“Eyes on the Prize”). There were situations of men who were murdered simply for their beliefs and struggles for equality. Rosa Parks is historically known for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Parks was arrested for refusing to obey segregation laws. Mr. E.D. Nixon a well known civil rights movement activist posted her bail and began a movement to end segregation. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. followed with peaceful demonstrations to aid with segregation throughout his lifetime which eventually led to him losing his life. In 1963 three college students travelled to Mississippi to register to vote and as a result were murdered. As you can see even after powerful laws were passed there still was infringement of human rights and even murder.

A white lady remembers liberals getting on the bus going south fighting for freedom and wonders where they are now. There was always a struggle for unity. People wondered why the Fourteenth Amendment did not apply to all regardless of colour. They ranted ‘hate, hate, hate’ in the streets! The blacks hated the oppression that they experienced and the black men being taken off into the service to war. They felt that they were forced to live outside of the American culture. The nation stood at a crossroad where it was time to define what was meant by ‘liberty and justice for all’. The white people saw that ‘if the blacks gained they would lose’. America struggled for all of its citizens. There was no true respect for the dignity of our nation. The crowds cried out that it was ‘nation time’ and time to step up for the rights of all citizens.

It was a dismal time for all the blacks felt they were not true citizens of the United States. Groups would compete for the hearts and minds of the young Americans. The Nation of Islam attracted many of the Black Americans as well as many of the Black communities throughout Harlem, NY in the 1960’s referred to as Black Muslims. The Black Muslims sought to makeover the Negro so that he/she would feel power and not feel ashamed to be called a member of the black nation. The group leaders taught self-discipline and self-respect. Many drug addicts were reformed during this time. The Negros stuck together and remained strong. Malcolm X was one of the reformed convicts after the subsequent break-up of his family. The teaching of Muhammad saved his life after his ten year burglary conviction.

The blacks remained strong and were loyal to each other to work together and overcome the infringements of civil liberties. Teachings of Muhammad helped the black men to have a new attitude to appreciate where they came from and love the white men and this attitude helped them to overcome the white men in their fight for equality. They preached a gospel of love and began to fight for their rights of which has brought them equality today.

Works Cited

Eyes on the Prize Episode 07 Retrieved November 7, 2009 from, http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3386260/9472455

Eyes on the Prize (2009) Retrieved November 7, 2009 from, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/about/index.html