Selma

Selma is a historical drama about the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in hopes of achieving voting rights for black Americans. Led by Martin Luther King Jr. and his supporters, Selma shows the difficulties that black Americans had to overcome just to get a voice. The movie features an all-star cast, including David Oyelowo, Oprah Winfrey, Niecy Nash, and Common.

This movie had appealed to me for a bunch of reasons. First of all, the all-star cast really got to me. I’m a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey, so to hear that she was doing this movie got me really excited. Another reason why this movie was so appealing was because it focuses on a moment in history that was important, but it’s not the first thing that pops into your head. Personally, I didn’t know about the Selma marches until I watched this movie. I didn’t realize how much of an impact it had on the passing of the Civil Rights act in the late 60s.

This movie speaks volumes about the freedom and equality that Americans truly value. As a society, I think that we hold freedom and equality in high regard. That’s been an American goal since the very beginning. You would think that granting everybody the same rights would be a simple concept, but Selma shows that it’s not. Selma shows us that freedom and equality require a lot of work. For some people, it’s not just handed to them for free. They have to fight for it. It also shows you that freedom and equality require EVERYONE’s efforts. It’s not just the job of one minority group. Everyone has to get involved. Freedom is a public good, and we have to fight for it as a society.

Check out this song by John Legend and Common, which really sets the tone for the entire film.

Favorite Quote: “Our lives are not fully lived if we’re not willing to die for those we love, for what we believe.”