Do some research about the true story upon which the movie The Great Debaters is based. What happened? Explain, in your own words, in about a page or so double-spaced.
This movie, The Great Debaters, consists of a true story about two gentleman that had to face the struggles of learning to deal with standing up for their beliefs in front of worlds that only looked at the color of their skin and not the power of their minds. This is based on some fictional characters and a non-fictional character by the name of James Farmer Jr. who becomes a pioneer for the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The debates in the movie are real and are based on debates from Wiley College. The movie also shows that harsh reality that even though the debaters won, they technically were not considered part of the social debaters of U.S. history. I am really excited to watch this movie. I love history and debates. History always finds a way to expose the bare realities. I really feel that Denzel Washington and the power of Oprah Winfrey will make this movie show the true realities of what happened at that time period. The actor combination is fantastic and the plot looks very thrilling. Researching this movie before seeing it has really made me interested to the point that I cannot wait to see this movie.
In 1924, Melvin Tolson accepted a position as instructor of English and speech at Wiley College. While at Wiley, he taught, wrote poetry and novels, coached football and directed plays. In 1929, Tolson coached the Wiley debate teams, which established a ten-year winning streak. The Debate Team beat the larger black schools of its day like Tuskegee, Fisk and Howard. After a visit to Texas, Langston Hughes wrote that "Melvin Tolson is the most famous Negro professor in the Southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, revere him, remember him and love him." According to James Farmer, Tolson's drive to win, to eliminate risk, meant that his debaters were actors more than spontaneous thinkers. Tolson wrote all the speeches and the debate team memorized them. He drilled them on every gesture and every pause. Tolson was so skilled at the art of debating that he also figured out the arguments that opponents would make and wrote rebuttals for them-before the actual debate. In 1930, he pursued a master's degree in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University; met V.F. Calverton, editor of Modern Quarterly; wrote "Cabbages and Caviar" column for The Washington Tribune and organized sharecroppers in South Texas. In 1935, he led the Wiley Debate Team to the national championship to defeat the University of Southern California before an audience of eleven hundred people. In 1947 he was appointed poet laureate of Liberia by President V. S. Tubman. He left Wiley to become professor of English and Drama at Langston University in Oklahoma. I am really excited to see this movie and should be a real inspiring story.
The Great Debaters is based on an African American debate team from Wiley College in the 1930s.THE GREAT DEBATERS chronicles the journey of Professor Melvin Tolson who was a brilliant, debate team coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of black college students from a small African American college in the deep south into a historically elite debate team.Tolson challenged the social morals of the time and was under constant attack for his unconventional teaching methods as well as his radical political views. Throughout the story the team takes on and defeats all of their opposition and in the pursuit for excellence, Tolson's debate team receives a historical invitation to debate Harvard University's championship debate team.
The movie “The Great Debaters” is based on 1935 debate team from Wiley College in little ole Marshall, Texas. In 1935 the all African-American debate team from Wiley College debated the University of Southern California and won. The man who lead the team to this victory was Melvin B. Tolson. After their victory at USC, Wiley College’s debate team went undefeated for ten years. The scale of these events is hard to put into words. This is a time long before any type of civil rights movement. Unfortunately for them even after their win over USC it didn’t do much to equalize anything between whites and blacks. Along with Tolson there were two other very important people that were directly involved with the epic event, James Farmer Sr. and James Farmer Jr. Famer Jr. became one of the four most important leaders during the civil rights movement. He also co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality. This is probably one of the most important events in African-American history and it’s unfortunate that it’s not more widely known.
The movie The Great Debaters is based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson and how he served as coach to lead the Wiley College debate team to a historic victory over USC in 1935. The movie chronicles the great achievements the team accumulated throughout the season, going largely undefeated against both predominantly black and white colleges. Due to their success, the Wiley College debate team quickly became the pride among African-Americans in the town and eventually for a great number of people of different nationalities all over the country. The way they amassed victories across the nation only brought them more into the spotlight and garnered challenges from more schools.
The most remarkable aspect about their season is how their success was achieved amid a great amount of hardships and adversities. The debate team was centered in a small Jim Crow area in Texas, where racial segregation was present throughout the area and lynchings were not uncommon. Not only were the debaters several times witnesses to lynchings, they were personally threatened with them as well. Many of their debates that year were some of the first inter-racial debates in the nation, let alone being the first black debate team to challenge on many white campuses. Through all the difficulties, though, they were able to keep moving forward and find a way to achieve success.
The Great Debaters is based on a true story that took place in 1935. Melvin Tolson, played by Denzel Washington, coaches the debating team at Wiley College. My favorite Character in the movie was James Farmer Jr., played by Denzel Whitaker. His ambition to debate and faithful friendship to Samantha Booke (with an e) really made the movie great. Even the relationship with his father was great. Towards the end of the movie when they get on the train to go to Boston College and he gives his dad a hug, I started to tear-up. Henry Lowe, played by Nate Parker, was put in charge of the team when they went to Boston because Professor Tolson did not want to jeopardize their chances of winning because of political issues concerning him in the town. Henry decided to step down as a debater and let James have his chance to prove himself as a great debater. This movie was truly inspirational not only in the black history part of it, but it shows that a young gentleman like James can make a difference too, when given the chance. I recommend this movie to anyone, it is a 5 star movie and it will bring tears to your eyes. Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey did an extraordinary job producing this film.
In 1924 a professor of English by the name of Melvin Tolson started his trademark at the institution, Wiley College located in a little town known as Marshall, Texas. Tolson did not only teach English but also wrote poetry and coached football. In 1929, Tolson lead his debate team to a flawless ten year winning streak. Tolson was a no nonsense type of guy expecting nothing less of perfection. Tolson was a true advocate in that he sometimes would assume the arguments the opposing team would make and write the debate teams response. After almost a decade of devotion and relentlessness he led the debate team to the national championship where they defeated USC.
The movie “The Great Debaters” was based on a true story which took place in 1935 at Wiley college. Professor Melvin Tolson, was hired in 1924 as an English and Speech instructor. During his tenure at Wiley college he was also a poet as well as a football coach.
In 1929, Professor Tolson began coaching the debates team, this started a 10 year winning streak in which Wiley college defeated many of the larger black colleges, including Tuskegee, Fisk, and Howard. The pinnacle of his debating career came in 1935 when he defeated the University of Southern California’s debaters in front of 1100 spectators, to win the national championship.
(In the film, Harvard University was used vice USC)
Professor Tolson was described by Langston Hughes as “The most famous Negro professor in the southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, rever him, remember, and love him.
In contrast, according to James Farmer, one of the Wiley College debaters, Professor Tolson wrote all of the speeches, and the debaters were more actors than spontaneous thinkers. Melvin Tolson was so good as a debater, he would write rebuttals to the debate before the actual debate, anticipating the oppositions points.
The movie is about a man named Melvin Tolson who was a Professor at Wiley College which is located in Marshall, TX. He taught sports (football) and a debate team. He would debate with the students in the place of the opposing team. This gave them very good practice and would eventually lead the team to an undefeated victory at the national championship where they also defeat Harvard.
The story behind the Great Debaters began with an all black school Wiley college, and an English professor by the name of Melvin Tolsen who used the “power of words as weapons”. His debate team had a ten year winning streak and they defeated many colleges. Wiley College was in Harrison County which during slavery had the largest slave population in the county. In the movie they defeated Harvard; actually, the debate team from Wiley College beat the debate team from the University of Southern California. Even though they beat University of Southern California, they were not a part of the debate society and weren’t technically considered victors. The debate society did not allow black colleges as members until after WWI. James Farmer Jr. was the most well-known debater who in fact, debated and defeated Malcom X four times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/education/05wiley.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2
Unfortunately I have bee able to find out any new information regarding the debate depicted in the movie the Great Debaters. There was information on Melvin Tolson, but as far as the team in general I was not able find anything. Well that is not entirely true, I was disappointed to find out that they did not compete against Harvard in the nationally broadcasting debate. Instead they went against and defeated University of Southern California. I see no reason to make such a glaring change in the story but I guess that is Hollywood.
The Great Debaters is a movie produced my Denzel Washington. The movie takes place in 1935. This movie primary motive is to bring the light to a remarkable story of debate team considered mediocre by white colleges. The Great Debaters tells the story of a Professor who starts a debate team at a southern African American College who eventually gets a chance to debate the Harvard University who society labeled as (a better college). The movie consists of a great cast and I can’t wait to see it.
The Great Debaters began with an all black school Wiley college, and an English professor by the name of Melvin Tolsen . His debate team had a ten year winning streak and they defeated many colleges. Wiley College was in Harrison County which during slavery had the largest slave population in the county. In the movie they defeated Harvard; actually, the debate team from Wiley College beat the debate team from the University of Southern California. Even though they beat University of Southern California, they were not a part of the debate society and weren’t technically considered victors. The debate society did not allow black colleges as members until after WWI. James Farmer Jr. was the most well-known debater who in fact, debated and defeated Malcom X four times
Mark Fails ENG 210 Dr. Kerry Hofiemer 29 January 2008
The movie “The Great Debaters” was based on a true story. Melvin B. Tolson was a great literary icon of his time and present. In a time of segregation and racism he stood up too let his feelings be known. The students were told they weren’t good enough for certain things which were truly false. Just because the students were black in the public’s eyes they were not capable of succeeding. He taught his students to stand up for their beliefs and not let anyone tell them they weren’t good enough. Because in fact if they put their minds to it they were fully capable of success in whatever they tried to do. In real life they students didn’t actually debate against Harvard they went up against USC. This was a nice twist for the movie. The reality is that in this age blacks were looked down upon. In the eyes of the public the black students weren’t worthy of competition versus white students. At least that’s what the black students believed until Mr. Tolson taught them other wise.
The true story of the great debaters did consist of an all Black debate team from Texas. Melvin B. Tolson was the professor and coach of the debate team. During this time America’s economy was suffering from a depression, blacks were being lynched, and at that time blacks were not allowed to be about of the debate society. Yet the Great Debaters stilled pressed on in their quest to be heard, listened to, and understood. I found through research that the only female member of the 1930 debate team from Wiley College was named Henrietta Wells. Henrietta Wells participated in the first collegiate interracial debate in the United States. I also found that according to Marshall News Messenger that the Wiley College most notable victory was won against the University of Southern California.
“The Great Debaters” is based on the true story of Wiley College circa 1935. In 1924, Professor Melvin Tolson, was hired as an English and Speech instructor. During his tenure at Wiley College he taught poetry and coached football. In 1929, Professor Tolson began coaching the debate team. He had a 10 year winning streak during which Wiley college defeated many of the larger black colleges, including Tuskegee, Fisk, and Howard. The pinnacle of his debating career came in 1935 when he defeated the University of Southern California’s debaters in front of 1100 spectators, to win the national championship. (The film used Harvard University instead of USC) Langston Hughes described Professor Tolson as “The most famous Negro professor in the southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, revere him, remember, and love him.” James Farmer, one of the Wiley College debaters, by contrast notes that Professor Tolson, wrote all of the speeches, and that the debaters were mere actors rather than spontaneous thinkers. Melvin Tolson was so good as a debater that he would write rebuttals to the debate before the actual debate; anticipating the oppositions points.
19 comments:
This movie, The Great Debaters, consists of a true story about two gentleman that had to face the struggles of learning to deal with standing up for their beliefs in front of worlds that only looked at the color of their skin and not the power of their minds. This is based on some fictional characters and a non-fictional character by the name of James Farmer Jr. who becomes a pioneer for the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The debates in the movie are real and are based on debates from Wiley College. The movie also shows that harsh reality that even though the debaters won, they technically were not considered part of the social debaters of U.S. history.
I am really excited to watch this movie. I love history and debates. History
always finds a way to expose the bare realities. I really feel that Denzel Washington and
the power of Oprah Winfrey will make this movie show the true realities of what
happened at that time period. The actor combination is fantastic and the plot looks very
thrilling. Researching this movie before seeing it has really made me interested to the
point that I cannot wait to see this movie.
l
The Great Debaters
In 1924, Melvin Tolson accepted a position as instructor of English and speech at Wiley College. While at Wiley, he taught, wrote poetry and novels, coached football and directed plays. In 1929, Tolson coached the Wiley debate teams, which established a ten-year winning streak. The Debate Team beat the larger black schools of its day like Tuskegee, Fisk and Howard.
After a visit to Texas, Langston Hughes wrote that "Melvin Tolson is the most famous Negro professor in the Southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, revere him, remember him and love him."
According to James Farmer, Tolson's drive to win, to eliminate risk, meant that his debaters were actors more than spontaneous thinkers. Tolson wrote all the speeches and the debate team memorized them. He drilled them on every gesture and every pause. Tolson was so skilled at the art of debating that he also figured out the arguments that opponents would make and wrote rebuttals for them-before the actual debate.
In 1930, he pursued a master's degree in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University; met V.F. Calverton, editor of Modern Quarterly; wrote "Cabbages and Caviar" column for The Washington Tribune and organized sharecroppers in South Texas.
In 1935, he led the Wiley Debate Team to the national championship to defeat the University of Southern California before an audience of eleven hundred people. In 1947 he was appointed poet laureate of Liberia by President V. S. Tubman. He left Wiley to become professor of English and Drama at Langston University in Oklahoma. I am really excited to see this movie and should be a real inspiring story.
The Great Debaters is based on an African American debate team from Wiley College in the 1930s.THE GREAT DEBATERS chronicles the journey of Professor Melvin Tolson who was a brilliant, debate team coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of black college students from a small African American college in the deep south into a historically elite debate team.Tolson challenged the social morals of the time and was under constant attack for his unconventional teaching methods as well as his radical political views. Throughout the story the team takes on and defeats all of their opposition and in the pursuit for excellence, Tolson's debate team receives a historical invitation to debate Harvard University's championship debate team.
The movie “The Great Debaters” is based on 1935 debate team from Wiley College in little ole Marshall, Texas. In 1935 the all African-American debate team from Wiley College debated the University of Southern California and won. The man who lead the team to this victory was Melvin B. Tolson. After their victory at USC, Wiley College’s debate team went undefeated for ten years. The scale of these events is hard to put into words. This is a time long before any type of civil rights movement. Unfortunately for them even after their win over USC it didn’t do much to equalize anything between whites and blacks. Along with Tolson there were two other very important people that were directly involved with the epic event, James Farmer Sr. and James Farmer Jr. Famer Jr. became one of the four most important leaders during the civil rights movement. He also co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality. This is probably one of the most important events in African-American history and it’s unfortunate that it’s not more widely known.
The movie The Great Debaters is based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson and how he served as coach to lead the Wiley College debate team to a historic victory over USC in 1935. The movie chronicles the great achievements the team accumulated throughout the season, going largely undefeated against both predominantly black and white colleges. Due to their success, the Wiley College debate team quickly became the pride among African-Americans in the town and eventually for a great number of people of different nationalities all over the country. The way they amassed victories across the nation only brought them more into the spotlight and garnered challenges from more schools.
The most remarkable aspect about their season is how their success was achieved amid a great amount of hardships and adversities. The debate team was centered in a small Jim Crow area in Texas, where racial segregation was present throughout the area and lynchings were not uncommon. Not only were the debaters several times witnesses to lynchings, they were personally threatened with them as well. Many of their debates that year were some of the first inter-racial debates in the nation, let alone being the first black debate team to challenge on many white campuses. Through all the difficulties, though, they were able to keep moving forward and find a way to achieve success.
The Great Debaters is based on a true story that took place in 1935. Melvin Tolson, played by Denzel Washington, coaches the debating team at Wiley College. My favorite Character in the movie was James Farmer Jr., played by Denzel Whitaker. His ambition to debate and faithful friendship to Samantha Booke (with an e) really made the movie great. Even the relationship with his father was great. Towards the end of the movie when they get on the train to go to Boston College and he gives his dad a hug, I started to tear-up. Henry Lowe, played by Nate Parker, was put in charge of the team when they went to Boston because Professor Tolson did not want to jeopardize their chances of winning because of political issues concerning him in the town. Henry decided to step down as a debater and let James have his chance to prove himself as a great debater. This movie was truly inspirational not only in the black history part of it, but it shows that a young gentleman like James can make a difference too, when given the chance. I recommend this movie to anyone, it is a 5 star movie and it will bring tears to your eyes. Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey did an extraordinary job producing this film.
In 1924 a professor of English by the name of Melvin Tolson started his trademark at the institution, Wiley College located in a little town known as Marshall, Texas. Tolson did not only teach English but also wrote poetry and coached football. In 1929, Tolson lead his debate team to a flawless ten year winning streak. Tolson was a no nonsense type of guy expecting nothing less of perfection. Tolson was a true advocate in that he sometimes would assume the arguments the opposing team would make and write the debate teams response. After almost a decade of devotion and relentlessness he led the debate team to the national championship where they defeated USC.
The background of the movie The Great Debaters
The movie “The Great Debaters” was based on a true story which took place in 1935 at Wiley college. Professor Melvin Tolson, was hired in 1924 as an English and Speech instructor. During his tenure at Wiley college he was also a poet as well as a football coach.
In 1929, Professor Tolson began coaching the debates team, this started a 10 year winning streak in which Wiley college defeated many of the larger black colleges, including Tuskegee, Fisk, and Howard. The pinnacle of his debating career came in 1935 when he defeated the University of Southern California’s debaters in front of 1100 spectators, to win the national championship.
(In the film, Harvard University was used vice USC)
Professor Tolson was described by Langston Hughes as “The most famous Negro professor in the southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, rever him, remember, and love him.
In contrast, according to James Farmer, one of the Wiley College debaters, Professor Tolson wrote all of the speeches, and the debaters were more actors than spontaneous thinkers. Melvin Tolson was so good as a debater, he would write rebuttals to the debate before the actual debate, anticipating the oppositions points.
The movie is about a man named Melvin Tolson who was a Professor at Wiley College which is located in Marshall, TX.
He taught sports (football) and a debate team. He would debate with the students in the place of the opposing team. This gave them very good practice and would eventually lead the team to an undefeated victory at the national championship where they also defeat Harvard.
The story behind the Great Debaters began with an all black school Wiley college, and an English professor by the name of Melvin Tolsen who used the “power of words as weapons”. His debate team had a ten year winning streak and they defeated many colleges. Wiley College was in Harrison County which during slavery had the largest slave population in the county. In the movie they defeated Harvard; actually, the debate team from Wiley College beat the debate team from the University of Southern California. Even though they beat University of Southern California, they were not a part of the debate society and weren’t technically considered victors. The debate society did not allow black colleges as members until after WWI. James Farmer Jr. was the most well-known debater who in fact, debated and defeated Malcom X four times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/education/05wiley.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2
Unfortunately I have bee able to find out any new information regarding the debate depicted in the movie the Great Debaters. There was information on Melvin Tolson, but as far as the team in general I was not able find anything. Well that is not entirely true, I was disappointed to find out that they did not compete against Harvard in the nationally broadcasting debate. Instead they went against and defeated University of Southern California. I see no reason to make such a glaring change in the story but I guess that is Hollywood.
The Great Debaters is a movie produced my Denzel Washington. The movie takes place in 1935. This movie primary motive is to bring the light to a remarkable story of debate team considered mediocre by white colleges. The Great Debaters tells the story of a Professor who starts a debate team at a southern African American College who eventually gets a chance to debate the Harvard University who society labeled as (a better college). The movie consists of a great cast and I can’t wait to see it.
The Great Debaters began with an all black school Wiley college, and an English professor by the name of Melvin Tolsen . His debate team had a ten year winning streak and they defeated many colleges. Wiley College was in Harrison County which during slavery had the largest slave population in the county. In the movie they defeated Harvard; actually, the debate team from Wiley College beat the debate team from the University of Southern California. Even though they beat University of Southern California, they were not a part of the debate society and weren’t technically considered victors. The debate society did not allow black colleges as members until after WWI. James Farmer Jr. was the most well-known debater who in fact, debated and defeated Malcom X four times
Mark Fails
ENG 210
Dr. Kerry Hofiemer
29 January 2008
The movie “The Great Debaters” was based on a true story. Melvin B. Tolson was a great literary icon of his time and present. In a time of segregation and racism he stood up too let his feelings be known. The students were told they weren’t good enough for certain things which were truly false. Just because the students were black in the public’s eyes they were not capable of succeeding. He taught his students to stand up for their beliefs and not let anyone tell them they weren’t good enough. Because in fact if they put their minds to it they were fully capable of success in whatever they tried to do. In real life they students didn’t actually debate against Harvard they went up against USC. This was a nice twist for the movie. The reality is that in this age blacks were looked down upon. In the eyes of the public the black students weren’t worthy of competition versus white students. At least that’s what the black students believed until Mr. Tolson taught them other wise.
The true story of the great debaters did consist of an all Black debate team from Texas. Melvin B. Tolson was the professor and coach of the debate team. During this time America’s economy was suffering from a depression, blacks were being lynched, and at that time blacks were not allowed to be about of the debate society. Yet the Great Debaters stilled pressed on in their quest to be heard, listened to, and understood. I found through research that the only female member of the 1930 debate team from Wiley College was named Henrietta Wells. Henrietta Wells participated in the first collegiate interracial debate in the United States. I also found that according to Marshall News Messenger that the Wiley College most notable victory was won against the University of Southern California.
“The Great Debaters” is based on the true story of Wiley College circa 1935. In 1924, Professor Melvin Tolson, was hired as an English and Speech instructor. During his tenure at Wiley College he taught poetry and coached football. In 1929, Professor Tolson began coaching the debate team. He had a 10 year winning streak during which Wiley college defeated many of the larger black colleges, including Tuskegee, Fisk, and Howard. The pinnacle of his debating career came in 1935 when he defeated the University of Southern California’s debaters in front of 1100 spectators, to win the national championship. (The film used Harvard University instead of USC) Langston Hughes described Professor Tolson as “The most famous Negro professor in the southwest. Students all over that part of the world speak of him, revere him, remember, and love him.” James Farmer, one of the Wiley College debaters, by contrast notes that Professor Tolson, wrote all of the speeches, and that the debaters were mere actors rather than spontaneous thinkers. Melvin Tolson was so good as a debater that he would write rebuttals to the debate before the actual debate; anticipating the oppositions points.
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