CLASSICAL / 2017-2018
SELMA: A Film and Live Music Event
OPEN REHEARSAL
with the National Symphony Orchestra and Jason Moran, Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director of Jazz
Ryan McAdams, conductor Jason Moran, piano
Part of JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy
So, What’s Going On?
“Protest. March. Disturb the Peace.”
By the early 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement in the South was in full march. Peaceful protests, demonstrations, and boycotts by African Americans (referred to as “Negroes” at the time) were impacting national attitudes. Ironically, their cause was aided by baton-swinging cops, blasting firehoses, and midnight murders by members of the Ku Klux Klan. National media coverage of ugly scenes made it harder and harder for white Americans to ignore the brutality Southern blacks faced and endured for generations.
Then, in September 1963, four young black girls were killed when the KKK bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The murders ripped away whatever illusions anyone still harbored about the nature of the country’s racism. It also further exposed the rotting underbelly of Jim Crow, the South’s system of racist laws that segregated the races in schools, restaurants, hospitals, courts, and public facilities—effectively relegating African Americans to second-class citizenship.
Finally, in 1964, the U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill, banning racial segregation in the United States. It was a landmark triumph, and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was standing next to President Lyndon Johnson when he signed the bill into a law of the land.
But there was a vital right the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not touch. For some 80 years, Southern states had systematically blocked blacks from the ballot box and the democratic representation promised by the U.S. Constitution. Guaranteeing their right to vote was the next goal, and Dr. King, Reverend Ralph Abernathy, and other movement leaders scouted for a battleground where they could lay bare this injustice.
They set their sights on Selma, Alabama.
“We can do this.”
The film Selma portrays a key crisis in the crucial fight for voting rights for African Americans in the South. With accurate portrayals of real events, the film focuses on the first six months of 1965. (See timeline below.) During that time, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders joined together to draw attention to the issue of voting rights for African Americans in Alabama and other parts of the South. Selma became their headquarters and staging ground.
Smaller protests and demonstrations were building up toward a planned 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama’s capital. Much of the nation was riveted to news coverage as the unarmed marchers faced off against Alabama state troopers with orders to stop them.
The film dramatizes the dilemmas and choices on all sides of this landmark moment in history. It deals with the political calculations of President Lyndon Johnson and Alabama Governor George Wallace. Scenes depict the personal prices paid by Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King. There is moral and physical courage shown by the young activist and future lawmaker John Lewis, as well as by protestors like Jimmie Lee Jackson and Reverend James Reeb, who were murdered because they were willing to step forward for equal rights for all.
How long until blacks might share equal rights with whites? Dr. King asked that rhetorical question during his speech at the conclusion of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. He answered himself by saying: “Not long because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
The events of Selma, frightful as they were, bent the arc a little more.
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Ava DuVernay directed Selma. She is a writer, producer, director, and distributor of independent films. DuVernay has been nominated for an Academy Award® and won an Emmy® for her Netflix documentary 13th, which she wrote and directed. This film explores the relationship between slavery, historical racism in the United States, and the mass incarceration of African Americans today. As a champion of African American and women filmmakers and artists, she says “If your dream only includes you, it’s too small.”
Learn more about the director, here.
Who’s Who
Selma is based on real people fighting the real fight for equality and the right to vote for African Americans. To compare the actors to the historical figures they portray—with profiles of those historical figures—check out this feature at ZIMBIO.
“No More!”
In this scene from the movie, Dr. King rallies his congregation with the cry: “Give us the vote.”
“We’ve come too far to back down now.”
The Civil Rights Movement was a social movement to challenge the racial injustice and inequality faced by African Americans in the United States, specifically in southern states. It especially describes the period from the mid-1950s through the 1960s when the movement’s protests challenged the worst racist practices and won significant legal victories.
Hold on, let’s step back a bit and talk some history.
In the decades following the Civil War (1861–1865), blacks were routinely treated as second-class citizens—and worse. Opportunities for a good education and decent jobs were scarce. The black community received little protection from law enforcement or the legal system, while white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan had a stranglehold on justice. Lynching—the hanging murder of blacks by mob action and without legal authority—was used to terrorize African American communities.
After World War II (1939–1945), more African Americans pressed the country for equal rights. They had served their country heroically during the massive conflict, and black leaders emerged to demand fair treatment that equaled their long-ignored contributions. Many white Americans viewed this as a threat to their control of the country and its culture, and some sought to suppress the movement—with violence, when necessary.
Increasingly, though, African Americans were seeing legal successes for their cause. In 1954, school segregation—the legal banning of blacks from white schools—was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. This national victory gave momentum to Civil Rights leaders like lawyer Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., activist Rosa Parks, and the movement in general, to continue the struggle.
In 1964, the U.S. passed the Civil Rights Act. This sweeping law banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. It also set the stage to secure voting rights in 1965.
Check out this timeline of the actual events that occurred in 1965. Watch for how they are portrayed in the film:
February 1 Dr. King and Reverend Ralph Abernathy lead a protest in Selma, Alabama. They are arrested when they refuse to break into smaller groups.
February 6 President Lyndon Johnson announces he will press Congress to pass a voting rights bill.
February 18 During a nighttime protest, Alabama state troopers ambush a group of peaceful marchers. Jimmie Lee Jackson, a deacon at St. James Baptist Church, is shot twice and dies eight days later. The trooper who killed him is convicted of manslaughter—45 years later.
March 5 Dr. King meets with President Johnson, then announces the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama’s state capitol.
March 7 About 600 marchers set out from Selma. Dr. King is absent but plans to join them. State troopers block their way on Edmund Pettus Bridge, then attack with clubs, teargas, and on horseback. Some 50 people are injured and 16 end up in the hospital. Broadcast nationally, the scene stuns the country as people witness the brutality of police pounding on peaceful protestors. The event becomes known as “Bloody Sunday.”
Watch a newsreel of how the event unfolded at:
March 9 Dr. King leads 2,000 marchers—more than half of them white—to Edmund Pettus Bridge. He stops halfway across the bridge and asks the marchers to disperse, in what later is called “Turnaround Tuesday.” It is thought King made the decision to respect the order of Frank M. Johnson, a sympathetic federal judge who was on the verge of approving the march and demanding protection for the marchers. That evening, James Reeb, a minister who had come from Boston to participate in the protests, is attacked by members of the Ku Klux Klan. He dies two days later from his injuries.
March 15 President Johnson addresses Congress and asks them to draft a Voting Rights Bill.
March 17 Federal Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr., rules in favor of the Selma-to-Montgomery march.
March 20 President Johnson mobilizes the Alabama National Guard and supplies regular Army troops to protect the marchers.
March 21 About 8,000 marchers set out from Selma.
March 25 Some 25,000 supporters join the marchers when they reach Montgomery for the final rally. The event ends with a powerful speech by Dr. King.
A link to a full transcript of Dr. King’s Montgomery speech and a recording of the entire speech can be found here.
Afterward, Viola Liuzzo, a civil rights activist from Detroit, was shuttling marchers back to their homes. She was ambushed and murdered by KKK members.
August 6 President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Sound of Resistance
The Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director of Jazz, Jason Moran, scored the music for Selma. He composed and mixed an eclectic blend of African American spirituals, gospel, jazz, rhythm and blues, folk, rock and roll, and hip hop for the film.
Read a Film Music Magazine interview about his work on Selma here.
Check out more on Jason Moran, here.
Want to learn more about film scoring? Stop here.
Additionally, Common and John Legend wrote the song “Glory” to provide a rousing and uplifting musical ending to Selma as the credits roll. It won the Academy Award® for Best Original Song in 2015.
For more on “Glory,” check out these videos:
Featurette about the making of “Glory”
Music video of “Glory” with lyrics
Official “Glory” music video
Check this out...
Watch and listen how…
different styles of music are used in various parts of the film.
music influences your emotions during certain scenes of the film.
real news footage from 1965 is used in the film.
Think About This...
why the film concludes with the hip hop anthem “Glory”?
this quotation from John Legend: “Great music and film are such a powerful marriage.” What does he mean?
some of your favorite music from movies. Why do films use music? What does it contribute?
And to connect yesterday to today: In August 2017, white supremacist groups marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest the removal of statues of Confederate leaders—the men who led the rebellion against the United States government in the 1860s. These marchers were met by counter-protestors who sought to challenge what many saw as a message of bigotry and hate toward non-whites. One woman was killed when a white supremacist rammed his car into a crowd. Do some research, then compare and contrast the events of Charlottesville with those portrayed in the film Selma. Who are the players? What are their goals? What are their tactics? How would you describe American race relations of 1965 as compared to today?
Even More!
Check out this video from ARTSEDGE’s "On..." video series featuring Common talking about his experience while making the film Selma.
Discover more on the NSO, here.
Want a Field Guide to the symphony? Here’s one to review.
Take Action: Preserving Voting Rights
The battle for voting rights is ongoing. In fact, the Voting Rights Act absorbed a harsh blow from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. The court struck down Section 4 of the Act that required some voting districts to get federal review and clearance of changes in voting laws. It opened the door for states and districts to change laws to discriminate against certain groups.
Since then, attempts to control who can vote are again gaining momentum, as are efforts to limit fair political representation. Studies indicate hundreds of thousands of Americans had their right to vote taken from them in the 2016 presidential election.
These underhanded efforts include: Gerrymandering—This undercutting of fair representation involves the drawing of congressional districts to dilute the influence of minority groups. Voter ID Laws—These laws require voters to present government-issued photo identification, such as driver’s licenses with current addresses. For people who do not drive or lack an official birth certificate, this can make it impossible to vote. Studies indicate minority groups, the elderly, and the working poor are most affected. Reducing the number of polling places— This has become a strategy to force people to travel long distances to vote. In many cases, polling places are being removed from minority communities. Eliminating early voting—Many working people, and especially African Americans, use early voting options to avoid election-day lines. More states are reducing or eliminating this option. The purging of voter registration lists—Officials in some states have aggressively removed names of people from the lists of registered voters. Again, these efforts mainly target African American communities. Purging ex-felons—States including Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska, Mississippi, and others do not allow anyone convicted of a felony to ever vote again, even if they have served their time and are off probation. Such rules affect 7 percent of African Americans of voting age.
In 2016, Governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia signed an executive order to restore voting rights to 200,000 felons. The Virginia Supreme Court overruled the governor, saying that he could not do “blanket group pardons” and would have to address the rights of each felon individually. He has vowed to find a way to do so. Since then, around 13,000 felons who have completed their sentences have registered to vote in Virginia.
Thankfully, organizations like the League of Women Voters (LWV), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Let America Vote, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and other voting rights groups are fighting back.
After watching Selma, consider...
Why do some groups still want to stop some people from voting?
Do some research and check out: “Five Truths About Voter Suppression,” Center for American Progress “Voter Suppression Laws: What’s New Since the 2012 Presidential Election,” The American Civil Liberties Union
As you watch Selma, think of the young people like John Lewis and teen protestors who stood strong, marched, and risked body and life during the Civil Rights Movement. The right to vote continuously requires fighters and allies to protect it, whatever our age. Here are some ideas for action:
Name ONE action you can take to protect and promote the voting rights for all Americans. Can you write? Write letters to your lawmakers. Got a phone? Call your lawmakers. Got a car? Drive people to polling places on election day.
Create posters to remind friends, family, and your community what’s at stake in an election. Consider making a collage by clipping and combining images from magazines, newspapers, or online sources. Create a piece of art that connects images from the past with issues of our present and future.
Can you vote? Vote.
If you are not yet old enough to vote, there are still plenty of actions you can take to make your voice heard in the political process. Here are organizations dedicated to getting pre-18 activists involved...
Teen Activist Project (TAP)—No private organization does more to protect the constitutional rights of Americans than the ACLU. TAP is a program of the New York American Civil Liberties Union. Chicago Votes—CV is a non-profit, non-partisan lobbying and voter education program for young activists in Chi-town. Rock the Vote—This long-time activist organization is dedicated to exciting young people to engage politically and get registered to vote. League of Women Voters—LWV has been fighting for voting rights since 1920 and is still taking it to the streets.
Whatever you create or do—a letter, artwork, a poem, a teach-in—share it at #rememberselma.
Explore More
Go even deeper with the Selma Extras.
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All Selma photos by James Nachtwey. © 2014 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
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David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.
AARP is the Presenting Sponsor of the NSO Pops Season.
Support for Jazz at the Kennedy Center is generously provided by C. Michael Kojaian.
Support for JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy is provided by Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, Chevron, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Northern Trust, and Target.