Inspired by the critically acclaimed hollywood film the great debaters, the real great debaters of wiley college unveils the true story of wiley college s 1935 debate team and their groundbreaking defeat of the allwhite reigning national championship debate team at the university of southern california. Wiley college, home of the great debaters, plans to start an hbcu. Henrietta bell wells, a retired social worker living in houston, was the wiley college debate teams only female member. The 1931 wildcat wiley college yearbook smithsonian. Starring denzel washington, the great debaters is an inspirational american movie movie released in 2007.
Jun 23, 2017 wiley college, home of the great debaters, plans to start an hbcu league of its own once the home of the great debaters, wiley college is taking its storied speech and debate program to a whole. Full text and audio and video of the great debaters wiley college vs harvard university on civil disobedience. Attention drawn to the school because of the movie also was key to walmart. The great debaters chronicles the journey of the wiley college debate team coached by. The story of the team, called the great debaters in last years movie of the same name, began in 1924 at wiley college, a small liberal arts college in marshall, tex. The film is directed by denzel washington and stars washington, forest whitaker. Debate team that could, that your impulse is to forgive the movie its. Wiley college, home of the great debaters, plans to start an hbcu league of its own once the home of the great debaters, wiley college is taking its storied speech and debate program to a whole. Holding a place of importance in american history the real events shown in the great debaters show the struggle of fighting for something you believe in. The great debaters of wiley college 711 wiley ave, marshall, texas 75670 rated 4.
Wiley college is a fouryear, privatelysupported, historically black collegeuniversity hbcu located on the west side of marshall, texas. The great debaters is based on a true story of three africanamerican students faced with the escalating conflict of racism in the 1930s, with their english college professor, melvin b. With denzel washington, forest whitaker, kimberly elise, nate parker. The film event was set up by ams pictures with smus division of cinematelevision, the association of black students, program council films, student filmmakers association and smus director of forensics, dr.
It was directed by denzel washington himself and its producer was oprah winfrey. Sep 12, 2012 the great debaters is a movie based on the true story of wiley college debate team in marshall texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the schools first debate team, which went. The movie brought to the forefront the prejudice and racial injustice of the era, along with the tenacity and fierce love of learning of wileys dynamic debate coach melvin b. Screams erupted in waves as the purple wiley college cap. Nov 18, 2008 more pertinently, the naudl website states flat out that wiley college defeated harvard for the debate championship in the 1930s. The great debaters is a 2007 american biographical drama film directed by and starring denzel washington. The great debaters 311 movie clip chosen for the team 2007 hd duration. This particular subject is one the students at wiley college were all too familiar with. Mar 12, 2008 the story of the team, called the great debaters in last years movie of the same name, began in 1924 at wiley college, a small liberal arts college in marshall, tex. The movie shows the wiley college debate team as they face the many challenges that come from being from an all african american college. The wiley college debate team was the inspiration for the movie the great debaters, which starred denzel washington as coach melvin b. The movie the great debaters came out in 2007 and was about wiley colleges 1935 debate team. The film fictionalizes some elements of wiley colleges debate history but is a fine introduction to the teams compelling true history.
Dec 23, 2007 great debaters film depicts schools 1935 glory. There are many good movies about speech and debate, but my personnel favorite is the great debaters. Thats what the sports movie is about, but the movie is about so. Film on wiley college debate team scores victory higher. The great debaters 611 movie clip quinn debate 2007 hd. Event one of the challenges the wiley college debate team was faced with in the film was during a debate against oklahoma city university. Music has always played an integral part in black history and this was also true in the history of wiley college. The most memorable wiley college debate was not with oxford or harvard. A special screening of the real great debaters of wiley college was shown in the hughestrigg theater, followed by a debate from the smu debate team on monday night. Feb 03, 2015 drawing inspiration from the true story of a temperamental debate coach who molded the students of a small east texas college into a formidable team that gave even harvards elite squad a run for. It actually simply repeats the fictive movie version of history as if it were truth, instead of carefully distinguishing that the actual winning round was wiley v. The story is depicted in the movie the great debaters, scheduled for release dec. Wiley college, home of the great debaters, plans to start an.
Marshall, tx ksla hollywood made a movie about the debate team, which established a 10year winning streak. It is based off of the debate team of wiley college, a small religious black school in east texas, during the great depression in the 1930s. It was with the 1935 national champions, the southern california trojans, and it is the circumstances surrounding this debate that form the basis for the great debaters. The great debaters the great debaters is based on a true story about the debate team at wiley college. Henrietta bell, member 1930 wiley college debate team. He washington just wanted to direct the movie, wells said. The movie explores social constructs in texas during the great depression, from daytoday insults african americans endured to. An outspoken wiley college professor who boldly challenged the.
The great debaters, directed by denzel washington, is an inspirational movie about a specific debate team overcoming racism in the segregated south. Currently, there are less than a dozen active debate teams on. Before this tournament that we are creating, right now weve got about 34 hbcus signed up for this tournament. The film was the first since 1979 to be allowed to film on harvards campus. The 2007 movie, the great debaters tells the story of this competition, and the movies star and director, denzel washington, donated the funding that helped relaunch the colleges debate team in 2008. Inspired by the critically acclaimed hollywood film the great debaters, the real great debaters of wiley college unveils the true story of wiley college s 1935 debate team and their groundbreaking. The great debaters chronicles the journey of professor melvin tolson denzel washington, a brilliant but volatile debate team coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of underdog students from a small african american college. The actual history is that the university of southern california was the top debating team in the nation 77 years and wiley went to california to debate usc. Why did many of the schools cancel debates with wiley college. Before discovering speech and debate, the 20yearold. Full text and audio and video of the great debaters wiley college vs paul quinn college on. Wileys 23member forensics team is coached by chris medina. More pertinently, the naudl website states flat out that wiley college defeated harvard for the debate championship in the 1930s. The topic selected for argument was whether negroes should be admitted into the same colleges as whites.
Wiley college was the first of its kind in the region to adopt an honor roll system for outstanding students. Wiley college and usc to reenact 1935 debate hbcu buzz. It is based on an article written about the wiley college debate team by tony. According to wikipedia, the film depicts the wiley debate. Documentary highlights wiley college debate team smu.
Now, a new generation of wiley college debaters will. Wileys successful debate team of the 1930s was chronicled in the 2007 feature film the great debaters starring denzel washington. According to christopher medina, wiley colleges head speech and debate coach, in the 1930s, there were more than 100 hbcu teams. Documentary highlights wiley college debate team smu daily. The movie, the great debaters, changed a key fact for dramatic effect. As the aspiring attorney samantha booke, jurnee smollett costar of eves bayou turns in a fiery performance as the first woman to join the wiley college team.
Wells was the sole female member of the college s debate team from marshall, texas, that tolson coached to national acclaim. The great debaters is a movie based on the true story of wiley college debate team in marshall texas. Music has always played an integral part in black history. You might recognize one famous texan in the movie, longview native. Wiley college holds distinction as one of the oldest historically black colleges west of the mississippi river. Tolson organized a debate team in 1924, shortly after arriving at wiley college. In 1935 in the deep south racism is a major problem as established by one of the the opening scene with the arrival of samantha. I think the story is not about being the first historically black college to win this award but about the debate team from the1930ss that fought hard to win despite not being accepted for the color of their skin, said wiley college vice president of student affairs joseph morale. In 1935, the wiley debate team defeated the team from the university of southern california for the national championship. The college published its first yearbook in 1925 and penned in the purple prose. The fictional wiley team eventually succeeds to the point where they are able to debate harvard university. Louis mendez, has also found a home with the wiley debate team. Oct 31, 2018 the movie the great debaters came out in 2007 and was about wiley college s 1935 debate team.
The great debaters has many important scenes that show. It is based on an article written about the wiley college debate team. In 1935, he inspired students to form the schools first debate team, which went on to challenge harvard in the national championship. Henrietta wells remembers well the great debaters she. The real tale of the unlikely ascendance of the debate team at wiley college, a small allblack institution in marshall, tex. The team is from little wiley college in marshall, texas, a black institution in the jim crow south of the 1930s. Apr 09, 2016 my best quotes from the great debaters. Study 40 terms the great debaters flashcards quizlet. Based on a true story, the plot revolves around the efforts of debate coach melvin b. The great debaters 211 movie clip the hot spot 2007 hd. Wiley college, home of the great debaters, plans to start. In their pursuit for excellence, tolsons debate team receives a groundbreaking invitation to debate harvard universitys championship team.
American rhetoric movie speech from the great debaters. Great idea, but how can wiley transfer the power of its debate team to. Drawing inspiration from the true story of a temperamental debate coach who molded the students of a small east texas college into a formidable team that gave even harvards elite squad a run for. Wiley college was the leader that other black colleges and universities eagerly followed. Great debaters tournament at wiley college is an hbcu first. The story of that 1935 wiley college squad toppling the national champs from the university of southern cal was the focus of a 2007 movie, the great debaters, starring denzel washington, who also. American rhetoric movie speech from the great debaters wiley.
After starring in the film, denzel washington provided a million dollar donation to reestablish wiley colleges debate team. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The night before the debate tolson would not let his team leave the dorm rooms where they were housed, according the farmer. Great debaters tournament at wiley college is an hbcu.
Inspired by the critically acclaimed hollywood film the great debaters, the real great debaters of wiley college unveils the true story of wiley colleges 1935 debate team and their groundbreaking. In the movie, the younger farmer is portrayed as a precocious 14yearold freshman debater whose relative youth leads to compelling conflicts with the older student debaters. Tolson bringing them together to create the first africanamerican debate team. Great debaters film depicts schools 1935 glory houston.
It is based off of the debate team of wiley college, a small religious black school in east texas, during the great depression in. But no university, no matter how grand or augustan its history, can afford to live in the past. By the time the 1934 school year began, tolson was at the top of his game as debate coach. Great debaters film depicts schools 1935 glory houston chronicle. In 1935 in the deep south racism is a major problem as established by one of the the opening scene with the arrival of samantha booke played by jurnee smollett at the. 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. Jun 27, 2019 in the movie the great debaters, wiley college debated harvard and won. The story takes place in 1935 and wiley college is an all black college. Before this tournament that we are creating, right now weve got.
So, in the spirit of tomorrow, i introduce to you, today, the debaters from wiley college. Wiley college forensics team wins national championship. Wells was the sole female member of the colleges debate team from marshall, texas, that tolson coached to national acclaim. There was fear of communism in america as it was associated with the soviet union i. This is not historically accurate, but is symbolic of the type and scale of victory won by that team at that time.
Tolson center led the wiley college debate team to a u. Full text and audio and video of the great debaters wiley college vs paul quinn college on social welfare. Her manicured hands, resting in her lap, periodically danced to punctuate a vivid memory of her mentor, wiley college debate coach melvin b. Tolson was afraid the team would be intimidated because the speech department of the university of southern california was bigger than the whole of wiley college. Oct 25, 2008 wileys successful debate team of the 1930s was chronicled in the 2007 feature film the great debaters starring denzel washington. It is based on an article written about the wiley college debate team by tony scherman for the 1997 spring issue of american legacy.
Tolson denzel washington at wiley college, a historical. The great debaters 211 movie clip the hot spot 2007. The success of the 1935 wiley college debate team, coached by professor and poet melvin tolson, was the subject of a 2005 ams pictures documentary, the great debaters, the real great debaters of wiley college, which received heavy play around texas, followed by 2007 dramatic movie, the great debaters, directed by and starring denzel washington. My best quotes from the great debaters applaudience medium. The movie explores social constructs in texas during the great depression, from daytoday insults african americans endured to lynching. Jan 26, 2018 great debaters tournament at wiley college is an hbcu first. In the movie the great debaters, wiley college debated harvard and won. It is based on an article written about the wiley college debate team by tony scherman for the spring 1997 issue of american legacy. Dec 24, 2007 the team is from little wiley college in marshall, texas, a black institution in the jim crow south of the 1930s. The schools english professor, melvin tolson denzel washington, is a taskmaster who demands the highest standards from his debate team, and theyre rewarded with a national championship. Wells was the last surviving member of the 1930 wiley college debate team, whose story was told in the movie the great debaters.
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