Movie Info 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.
What is the time and setting of The Great Debaters?
The story takes place in 1935 in Marshall, Texas, where Wiley professor Tolson (Washington) selects, trains and polishes four young debaters. The youngest, James Farmer Jr.
What is the setting of The Great Debaters movie?
Marshall, Texas
The team is from little Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, a black institution in the Jim Crow South of the 1930s. The school’s English professor, Melvin Tolson (Denzel Washington), is a taskmaster who demands the highest standards from his debate team, and they’re rewarded with a national championship.
What time period was The Great Debaters?
1935
“The Great Debaters” focuses on the year 1935 and three Tolson debaters, two of whom are frankly composites, though inspired by real Wiley students. Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett) has transferred to Wiley with the hopes of being the school’s first female debater.
Where is the setting for The Great Debaters * 10 points?
Based on the true story of the 1935 Wiley College debate team, the film follows its rise from modest beginnings in Marshall, Texas to national prominence, with plenty of underdog team movie conventions: personal hardships, social oppressions, and resilient spirits.
What does it mean to be born without record?
What does it mean to be born without record? Negroes were not given birth certificates when they were born.
What is the background of The Great Debaters?
In 1935, Wiley College, a historically black college in Marshall, Texas, fielded a debate team that went largely undefeated. It did so well, in fact, that it was invited to debate a team from a white college, an event almost unthinkable in the Jim Crow era of racial segregation.
Is the great debate a true story?
A drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harv
Is The Great Debaters a real story?
“The Great Debaters” honors the real-life story of a 1930’s black debating team. LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2007— — From deep in the color-divided South of 1930s East Texas, a generally unknown story of triumph by a black debating team from Wiley College emerges on the national stage this holiday season.
What school does Wiley College debate first?
Oklahoma City University
On March 21, 1930, Wiley College debated Oklahoma City University, a Methodist-affiliated college, as was Wiley. “This was the first time that white and colored students ever discussed a proposition in the South from the same platform,” Tolson wrote in a column for The Washington Tribune.
Did Wiley College really beat Harvard?
Historical notes. 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.
Did Wiley College really beat Harvard in debate?
Wiley’s debate team competed against historically black colleges and earned national attention with its 1935 debate against University of Southern California’s highly ranked debate team.
Wiley College.
| Former names | Wiley University |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Billy R. Casey |
| President | Herman J. Felton Jr. |
| Provost | Howard O. Gibson |
| Students | 1,100 |
Who is the youngest member on the debate team *?
Terms in this set (14)
- Melvin B. Tolson. …
- Henry Heights. He anchored the debate team that defeated the national champions from USC. …
- Henrietta Wells. Joined Wiley’s debate team in 1930. …
- James Farmer. The youngest member of the debate team (age 14). …
- Segregation. …
- Proposition. …
- Affirmative Argument. …
- Denigrate.
Does Wiley College Texas still exist?
Wiley College is a four-year, privately-supported, historically black college/university (HBCU) located on the west side of Marshall, Texas. Wiley College holds distinction as one of the oldest historically black colleges west of the Mississippi River.
Does Wiley College still have a debate team?
Washington’s family foundation made an initial $1 million commitment in 2007—donating $100,000 per year for a decade—to revive the debate team, which had dissolved after Tolson departed Wiley in 1947.
What is the theme of the movie The Great Debaters?
Identity of accepting one’s race, gender, and recognizing the power of knowledge. These themes are shown throughout the movie which is about a college professor who boldly challenged the discriminatory Jim Crow laws of the 1930s.
Where was The Great Debaters filmed?
Shreveport
Been there: “The Great Debaters” was filmed mostly in the Shreveport area, but it wasn’t their first time in the Bayou State for much of the cast: Denzel Washington filmed “Deja Vu” in New Orleans in 2006.
What was the message of the movie The Great Debaters?
Ultimately, the most uplifting message of The Great Debaters is about the legacy passed from one generation to the next: impassioned young people learning the lessons of patience, generosity, and dignity from the older characters as they all struggle for justice.
Is The Great Debaters historically accurate?
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 Height became “Henry Lowe.” There was no woman on the team in 1935.
Did Wiley College really beat Harvard?
Historical notes. 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.
Did Wiley College really beat Harvard in debate?
Wiley’s debate team competed against historically black colleges and earned national attention with its 1935 debate against University of Southern California’s highly ranked debate team.
Wiley College.
| Former names | Wiley University |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Billy R. Casey |
| President | Herman J. Felton Jr. |
| Provost | Howard O. Gibson |
| Students | 1,100 |
Is Wiley College real?
Wiley College, founded in 1873 in Marshall, Texas is a Historically Black College (HBCU). Campus Mission: Wiley College is a premier liberal arts institution, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, with an intentional focus on social good and leadership.
Who is the youngest member on the debate team *?
Terms in this set (14)
- Melvin B. Tolson. …
- Henry Heights. He anchored the debate team that defeated the national champions from USC. …
- Henrietta Wells. Joined Wiley’s debate team in 1930. …
- James Farmer. The youngest member of the debate team (age 14). …
- Segregation. …
- Proposition. …
- Affirmative Argument. …
- Denigrate.
Does Wiley College still exist?
Wiley College is a four-year, privately-supported, historically black college/university (HBCU) located on the west side of Marshall, Texas. Wiley College holds distinction as one of the oldest historically black colleges west of the Mississippi River.
What GPA do you need to get into Wiley College?
Any First-Time Freshman student interested in admission to Wiley College must have graduated from an accredited high school with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or have successfully completed the General Education Development (GED) Test.
What is the average financial aid package awarded at Wiley College?
How Much Financial Assistance is Offered? Wiley College’s normal financial aid offer for new freshman students is $12,891.
How many acres does Wiley College occupy?
63 acres
Wiley College is a private institution that was founded in 1873. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 615 (fall 2020), its setting is rural, and the campus size is 63 acres.