'Prom Night In Mississippi' CNN STORY

Jan 19, 2009
'Prom Night In Mississippi' CNN STORY
Saladed O'brien Intervews Chasidy Shante Buckley, Jessica Shivers, & Paul Saltzman.
In 1997, Academy Awardwinning actor Morgan Freeman offered to pay for the senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Charleston High School had its first-ever integrated prom—in 2008! Until then, blacks and whites had had separate proms even though their classrooms have been integrated for decades. Canadian filmmaker Paul Saltzman follows students, teachers, and parents in the lead-up to the big day. Freeman addresses the student body. Girls shop for dresses and get their hair done. Boys rent tuxedoes and buy corsages. These seemingly inconsequential rites of passage suddenly become profound as the weight of history falls on teenage shoulders. We quickly learn that change does not come easily in this sleepy Delta town. Freemans generosity fans the flames of racism—and racism in Charleston has a distinctly generational tinge. Some white parents forbid their children to attend the integrated prom and hold a separate white-only dance. ""Billy Joe,"" an enlightened white senior, appears on camera in shadow, fearing his racist parents will disown him if they know his true feelings. Prom Night In Mississippi captures a big moment in a small town, where hope finally blossoms in black, white, and a whole lot of taffeta.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jessica Shivers
• Chasidy Shante Buckley
• saladed o'brien
• cnn

[urlove12day]

wow mississippi is fucked up

[buttacudawey]

@Marvel2389 ..SOUNDS LIKE A SCHOOL FILLED WIT IDIOTS TO ME.

[bigbodigga]

@z28931 LoL you have a college degree in landscaping. Did you learn in college that Mexicans are gardeners that pull weeds?

[z28931]

@bigbodigga God your a fucking moron. I have a fucking college degree in Landscaping!!! God you niggers are ignorant.

[bigbodigga]

@z28931 "A gardener is a mexican that pulls weeds" LoL, I don't know, your looking racist to me.

[bandwagon22]

I think if Malcom X were alive today he would use Linux and probably Martin Luther King Jr. too. "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where operating systems will not be judged by the might of their monopolies but by the content of their kernels."

[averagejoe511]

@dude3601000  hahahhahahaha Amen brother

[dude3601000]

i love how they say "we hope to inspire people to not have segregated proms"...........ummm..... i hate to burst your bubbles sweethearts but im pretty sure your the only high school in america that did that nd thats really bad like it was 2009...not 1955!

[youngdb8907]

@z28931 one day you'll know the truth sadly it will be too late because I am sure your spreading your hate with other people right now. But when that day comes and you meet GOD I hope he makes you think of this moment and you will see the truth. I pray for you and your kids if you ever choose to have any and if you make them believe what you are saying to me now.

[z28931]

@agent2ooo A gardener is a mexican that pulls weeds. A landscaper designs yards,and sets plants,takes soil samples,etc. Get it right. We don't need you guys.... If anything you need us. Let us know when you guys need some money,and although we are in debt I'm sure our socialist government will send our tax dollars your way.

[agent2ooo]

@z28931 Ok I was wrong even though landscaping is just a fancy word for a gardener, nothing else. You said in a comment than u are better than me, well good for u. I am a medical doctor who speaks a few languages and who have traveled a lot and still don't think that I am better than anyone. I have friends from all over the world, from many different backgrounds & we are all the same really. W Europe always had a higher standard of living than U.S. U.S has been downgraded by S&P. U may need us.