When the nation was in need, he inspired them to give us hope.|Dec. 27, 2007|United States|126 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Adventure;Biography;Crime;Drama;History;Mystery;Thriller
Description: “The Great Debaters,” released in 2007, is inspired by a true story and follows the journey of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson, portrayed by Denzel Washington, at Wiley College, a historically Black institution affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (now The United Methodist Church). Set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, the film highlights the challenges faced by African Americans under Jim Crow laws and the constant threat of lynch mobs. Against these odds, Tolson’s debate team gains recognition and even earns the opportunity to compete against Harvard University. In reality, the Wiley College debate team defeated the University of Southern California, the reigning national champion at the time, though the movie adapts this event to feature Harvard.
The film delves into the social struggles of the era, from everyday discrimination to the horrors of lynching. It also introduces James L. Farmer Jr. (played by Denzel Whitaker), a 14-year-old prodigy on the debate team who later co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality. Another team member, Samantha Booke, is based on Henrietta Bell Wells, a celebrated poet and the only female member of the 1930 Wiley debate team, which participated in the first interracial collegiate debate in the U.S.
A recurring theme in the movie is the powerful quote paraphrased from St. Augustine of Hippo: “An unjust law is no law at all,” a principle later echoed in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Another central message emphasizes the necessity of doing what one “has to do” to achieve the freedom to do what one “wants to do.” These profound lines are delivered by the characters of James L. Farmer Sr. and James L. Farmer Jr., underscoring the film’s exploration of resilience, justice, and equality.
Cast director: Denzel Washington
Cast actor: Denzel Washington, Nate Parker, Forest Whitaker, Denzel Whitaker, Kimberly Elise, Jermaine Williams, Gina Ravera, John Heard, Devyn A. Tyler, Trenton McClain Boyd
Original name: The Great Debaters