Eyes on the Prize

The late Henry Hampton, director of "Eyes on the Prize," was one of the finest human beings I've ever known. It's bittersweet to read of the licensing challenges faced by Henry's Boston company, Blackside, Inc. That might prove, however, that one cannot "keep a good man and his film down." Eighteen years ago Henry had me doing paperwork for him including transcribing the equivalent of dailies. "All Hours Typing," my Cambridge company, had other employees; but for Henry, I usurped the privilege to type, eyes on monitor, earphones on, at points where spirituals swelled up, spirits soared on screen--breath taking and moving then and now. Then to find later that Henry was one of those "still waters that ran deep"-- having been the key public information player for the broad minded Unitarian Universalist church. This documentary is not only great film making but a tribute to his memory and the Blackside team listed on IMDb plus Judy Richardson, Frank Galvin, and Josh Gordon.

I've seen the original series several times and was taken along for an emotional and intellectual journey on "modern-day" beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement. There is no way I could conceive anyone but a strident racist could not be moved by the sheer simplicity of using the churches as the center to motivate and rally black people. Dr. King is shown as a young minister developing his oratory and the narration is intense. I would have to say that my favorite segment is the at first calm eulogy offered during the funeral following the death of a marcher that becomes angered at the seeming wantoness of murder. It was so impassioned it made me guilty for not being more involved in the Movement as a teen. Buy and watch the series. It will be among the best things you will ever do!

In a world where black children search for pride on street corners, and find their idols in drugged out athletes, absent fathers, idiots and zombies, in these television hours lie little glimpses of hope, shining examples of the people who fought and died for love of the future. I make it a point to watch this program at least once a year and show it to anyone who seems to have even a passing interest in tomorrow. Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Fannie Lou Hamer, The black Panther Party, busing in Boston, political mobilization in Chicago, the fight for freedom has never been given such a detailed depiction. This film is an encyclopedia of black pride and should not only be seen, but should be seen as often as is necessary to restore freedom and democracy to this country.

This series (along with the sequel, "Eyes on the Prize II") is a classic documentary that, in many ways, pointed to the techniques later adapted by Ken Burns in his documentaries. Given the availability of film and first-person accounts, as well as photos, this is a far more moving and affecting film. Beginnings are difficult, and one might quibble with how the first part brings the viewer "up to speed" on African American history before the 1950's, the immediate attention to the story of Emmitt Till makes up for much of that missing narrative, by showing in graphic detail the status of African Americans in the United States, particularly the deep South. The rest of the series fills in a great amount of detail in the ensuing decade up to 1965 and the Voter-Rights act of that year.

Three things to point out in detail that made this a strong film. First, the framing of the narrative before Brown v. Board to emphasize that the Brown case did not come about in isolation, but as part of a broader strategy of the NAACP (if you are further interested in this, you should look at "The Road to Brown") led by Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall. Second, the film did not solely rely on newsreel footage and interviews, but effectively used still photos to convey drama and set pacing. On that last issue, the third point (which may have been for cost and copyright reasons for all I know) was the minimal use of music in the film. Some of the most powerful moments in the film come from a long (4-5 seconds) shot of a dramatic photo with only silence.

Why only 9 stars and not 10? I would like to have seen a bit more in the lead up to the 1950's, and some emphasis on larger context of the Cold War and such -- particularly a bit more on radical African Americans who were targeted by the state for prosecution before the forties, as well as more on the legacies of W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington as backdrop for later debates within the movement. These are really historical concerns, and overall, the film is worth seeing. I hope that soon the copyright issues will be sorted out so that this can be released on DVD, as many video copies available now are showing their age after many viewings!

This is the most comprehensive, detailed, and informative series of any covering the Civil Rights struggles from the early stages through the 1980's. This is a must see for any person looking to get information and insight on what the struggle for equality was like for black people in America. They compile actual footage from historical events, along with interviews with some of the people who were actually there. This series will make you go through a range of emotions as you actually feel of part of the history that you are viewing. Julian Bond, (who participated in many of these events) does a masterful job a narrating the entire series. This is one series that you must have in your collection.