Selma (2014)

For the assignment, you will need to watch the movie, Selma (2014) directed by Ava DuVernay. It is available
for streaming from the Alkek Library website through this link or searching the online catalog for “Selma.”
https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/tsu302038/watch?token=C4C94081D1BE02CA
The film is a fictional portrayal of the campaign for African-American voting rights in Selma, Alabama in 1965
led by Martin Luther King, Jr. Outside of the film’s cinematic merits, Selma stirred some controversy over its
historical accuracy. In particular, President Lyndon Johnson’s top assistant for domestic affairs, Joseph A.
Califano, Jr., felt the movie unfairly presented Johnson as being at odds with Martin Luther King, Jr. Califano
wrote a scathing attack on the film that appeared in the December 26, 2014 issue of the Washington Post (this
opinion piece has been posted to the TRACS site for this course. File name: WashPostSelma).
After viewing the film, reading the Califano piece, and using what you learned on the Civil Rights Movement in
class, you are to develop a clear thesis statement expressing your own views on the Johnson/Selma
controversy and write a four to no longer than five-page paper defending your thesis.
The paper should be doubled spaced, using 12- point font and with margins of 1 inch (top and bottom) and 1 or
1.25 inches on the sides.
Some possible questions to address in your paper are: How was the Civil Rights Movement organized? What
roles did the Kennedy and Johnson administrations play in the Civil Rights Movement? How is the Civil Rights
Movement presented in the movie Selma, by Califano, and in class lectures? Are Califano or DuVernay biased
sources? By citing specific events and organizations, what gains were made by the Civil Rights Movement?
What issues remained unresolved by the Civil Rights Movement and are these issues with us today?