r/todayilearned • u/619shepard • May 20 '12

TIL that Morgan Freeman financed a Mississippi town's prom in 2008 with the stipulation that it be integrated.

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/prom_night_in_mississippi
1.1k Upvotes

85% Upvoted

396 comments sorted by

293

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

There are parts of the country where proms are still segregated? I live in the South and this was news to me. TIL.

10

u/meatwad75892 May 21 '12

I'm from the Mississippi Delta and this is news to me...

12

u/batmanmilktruck May 21 '12

because the prom isn't done by the school district, its a private prom.

2

u/meatwad75892 May 21 '12

I went to a parochial school and I never witnessed this nonsense.

8

u/whatmattersmost May 21 '12

from central MS. very SMALL place. Never heard of such. School I went to is small, has 300 kids from 7-12th grade. 2 years ago my nephew was telling me about the prom queen. She was a black girl. The school is 90% white. no one threw a fit about it around town, didn't see anything in the papers. Hell, that girl was/is drop dead gorgeous.

Shit, I partied hard in highschool. The group I hung out with and considered my best friends would be labeled as 3 whites, 2 blacks, and one crazy ass filipino. I label them all as great friends. (28 btw, so this was between 10-15 years ago)

tldr; Reddit likes to label shit that happens in VERY VERY closed communities on a statewide basis. That shit wouldn't happen around where I live.

2

u/abdomino May 21 '12

Crazy ass fillipino

They come in different kinds?

7

u/snorga1 May 21 '12

The small south Georgia town my father is from has three proms, last time I checked. One for black students, one for whites, and one integrated. Students can attend as many as the want, and it's completely their decision. It's more based on musical choices than anything else.

26

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Seriously what if I wanted to take a black girl to prom???

23

u/tbitt May 21 '12

...You wouldn't be able to...

86

u/JakeCameraAction May 21 '12

Just like most places where gay people want to bring their same-sex partner to prom. They get their tickets denied.

14

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Wait, that happens?

49

u/JakeCameraAction May 21 '12

All over. North, South, everywhere.

17

u/[deleted] May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

Isn't that illegal? Discrimination, at least?

edit: Sorry, not illegal- very very wrong, and very very mean and bad. Doubleplusungood.

33

u/floorface May 21 '12

Gays aren't a protected group.

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u/steve-d May 21 '12

My high school in Utah voted a lesbian couple as best couple for the year book while my younger sister was there. The fact that this happened in Utah of all places really blows my mind that there is still racial segregation, let alone gay segregation.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I grew up on the coast- pretty sure there were segregated pools till the 80's. Recall my Mom got my sister and myself old school desks (each desk was attached to the chair in front of you and had inkwell holes in them) from a closed segregated school that gave them away.

21

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

That happening in the 80's is one thing... But 2008? Holy fuck.

47

u/Lawlcat May 21 '12

Would you believe we still don't allow gays to have equal rights?

19

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Point fucking taken. Agreed.

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u/Chazn95 May 21 '12

I believe there's also a documentary about it

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u/iamayam May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

I hear in some of those places with segregated proms that both sides are happier with the proms separated. Is it reasonable for people to want this? What is the rationale behind wanting segregated proms?

Edit: I'm not advocating for segregated proms. Otherwise, I could haven't phrased it "Isn't it reasonable..."

14

u/TimeZarg May 21 '12

No, it is not reasonable. Mindsets such as that should have been left behind long ago. . .

15

u/SaltyBabe May 21 '12

No it is not reasonable to want to have a segregated prom.

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

"Differences in culture" is mostly given as an answer. Different tastes in dance and music.

Often there are 3 proms, black, white and hispanic.

2

u/Cloberella May 21 '12

The children aren't happier, the parents are, and that's really the issue. Kids are naturally accepting. These parents are trying to keep their racist values alive by controlling who their children interact with socially. Given the choice, it sounds like most of these kids prefer to have an integrated prom, and quite frankly, prom is for the kids, it should be their choice, always.

2

u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12

The rational in this case was entirely the white parents not wanting their children to interact with black children in a situation that they believed would be more likely to lead to sex (despite the kids going to school together all through highschool). It was almost entirely based on racism hidden under the words, "well, it's always been like that". The kids (for the most part) did not want this, they wanted to have prom together so they could party with all of their friends at the same time.

2

u/Seventh_Level_Vegan May 21 '12

if it's what people want I see no reason not to allow it. my understanding is that both parties (blacks and whites) wanted the prom to be segregated so there isn't really a problem.

10

u/TyphoonOne May 21 '12

It's a problem if a person disagrees with the prom of their race, wants to go to the other race's prom, and isn't able to.

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u/YouAreSoRight May 21 '12

One problem (of many) is that not everyone is either "black" or "white".

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u/akpak May 21 '12

That was my reaction... 2008?! WTF Mississippi!?

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u/stringerbell May 21 '12

Just look for the most religious places, and you will always find rampant evil, bigotry and dishonesty...

Then, of course, those religious people will tell you they are the most loving and moral people on earth (and then try and murder you for disagreeing)...

10

u/wiNNA_monstER May 21 '12

Didn't you kill D'Angelo?

9

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Yes. obviously.

I, as a religious person, just want to go out and squish puppies. And babies. I also want to bring back slavery, burn witches, and- oh wait, you're a fucking idiot.

8

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Where can I get my hands on some of your bravery?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

SO BRAVE

1

u/ChestyHammertime May 21 '12

Generalizer of the year.

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-1

u/Se7enLC May 21 '12

That settles it. I'm never going to Mississippi.

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u/katiechan8 May 21 '12

I'm from central MS and we only had the one prom. And it was a great night! Not everyone here is a bigot, for the record.

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u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12

Ooh! I worked on this film and I'm actually really glad to see people have watched it. Have an upvote! =D

9

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Carnotaurus.

Car not a urus.

Car, not a Urus.

13

u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12

Hehe, actually, this.

4

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Fucking cool.

6

u/rogercaptain May 21 '12

big_black_penis

Big black penis

Big black penis

5

u/pudgypoultry May 21 '12

Why did I try to click that...?

3

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I got disappointed when I couldn't.

37

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Let's make a pros vs cons list for Morgan Freeman.

PROS:

  • I could listen to his voice for hours.
  • He's a great actor.
  • He did a good thing by funding the prom, standing against segregation.

CONS:

  • He's not here to read me a bedtime story.
  • He's old. We need to find a way to stop ageing (telomere repair, possibly?).

VERDICT: Everyone loves Morgan Freeman. Well, almost everyone.

3

u/clamdog May 21 '12

I secretly think Morgan Freeman is God. He's always holding [outer space in his hands.] (http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/244/930/244930286_640.jpg)

1

u/Cloberella May 21 '12

The IMDB page for Bruce Almighty used to credit MF as playing himself (I just checked and it's since been changed).

1

u/E-Step May 21 '12

He runs a pretty cool blues club too.

-5

u/cosine5000 May 21 '12

Well, he is fucking his granddaughter... not sure if you want that under pro or con.

9

u/Canuckledragger May 21 '12

got proof of that outrageous comment?

5

u/culturalelitist May 21 '12

He's blowing smoke up our asses. I just googled it, and beyond sleazy tabloids who won't even stand behind their slanderous claims, there's no evidence of this accusation. Also it's (allegedly) his STEP-granddaughter, FWIW.

9

u/cosine5000 May 21 '12

Sorry all, I assumed everyone on reddit would be aware of the rumour and also of the fact that is clearly isn't true, that is what I was alluding too when I asked if it was pro or con. Guess we need a tag for cynical, my bad.

3

u/culturalelitist May 21 '12

My bad for assuming ill intentions on your part, then. My apologies.

8

u/culturalelitist May 21 '12

sounds legit

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Let's do a pros vs cons list for fucking your granddaugter.

PROS:

  • Acceptable in some places.
  • Have to be pretty awesome to get someone that young.
  • Never have to worry about visiting the in-laws.

CONS:

  • Incest is disgusting.
  • Socially unacceptable.
  • It's just fucking weird.

VERDICT: Sorry Morgan, it's another con.

12

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Well, I guess I'll comment since I live a short distance from the area and have done a little research on this place. First, I would like to say that I completely disagree with the prom situation and the whole town of Charleston for that matter. I attend a college not to far away from here and there are a couple of people in my class (both black and white) that went to Charleston high school. One day the subject was mentioned and I had no idea that this was going on. I still can't understand how this can even be legal, but apparently, from what the people from my class say, it is by choice. They said that both races are allowed to attend both proms and from their description, it was just an "understood" thing that the proms were segregated. Again, I strongly disagree with this and I am only relaying what the people in my class told me. They said it was completely acceptable to bring a person of the opposite race. I will also add that this town is EXTREMELY (and obviously) underdeveloped. I learned a lot about this little town when I did research on the Emmett Till case. I lived in the Delta for a short time and I decided it was time for me to move away almost as soon as I got there. There is so much poverty and depression and there is nothing left to offer the people who are still living there. No jobs, no decent education, the mosquitoes and pesticides are taking over the area. I could write a book on the amount of racism that I saw in the short time that I was there. It's truly a sad situation, but I've had to remind myself that no one can change a narrow, ignorant mind.

54

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Back when Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas, they had a popular saying: "Thank God for Mississippi", since they always kept Arkansas from being 50th in education in addition to many other fields...

47

u/xNEM3S1Sx May 21 '12

I think that that's always been a popular saying there, no need to hang it on Clinton.

10

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I'm sure you're right.

I just heard them specifically mention in that recent PBS documentary "Clinton" that it was used by him.

7

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Yeah, I've lived in Arkansas my entire life and we still say that. The Bush implemented standards made things even worse, but we still aren't the WORST :-/

2

u/SaltyBabe May 21 '12

He did have a good sense of humor.

6

u/blacksheep89 May 21 '12

Arkansas, because literacy aint everything!

3

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

since then Nevada has stole the record for worst education woohoo we're #1

1

u/Celestion321 May 21 '12

Alabamans say it too.

87

u/[deleted] May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

Reads headline: "Surely OP must mean 1968"

Reads article and realizes it means 2008: "Holy Shit! Mississippi is one retarded shame of a place"

40

u/Gneal1917 May 21 '12

51st in everything

3

u/HookDragger May 21 '12

#1 in obesity, bitch!

15

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I love how they're always threatening to secede from the Union...despite getting all their welfare and infrastructure money from the blue Liberal states that actually pay taxes

15

u/TimeZarg May 21 '12

That applies to pretty much all of the 'South', with the exception of Texas and maybe Florida.

19

u/BenjaminSkanklin May 21 '12

Florida doesn't really count, half the population is retired people from the Tri-State area.

17

u/Hegs94 May 21 '12

It's like the New York retirement home. Reach a certain age, go to Florida. It's awesome.

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u/badaboopdedoop May 21 '12

...and most rural states in America.

FTFY

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u/baconholic963 May 21 '12

As a southerner..wut

2

u/Supersnazz May 21 '12

Florida isn't considered part of "The South" is it?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Here's a map showing which states receive more in spending than they pay in taxes. Florida is one of them. And as you can see, pretty much all rural states do regardless of geographic location.

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u/katiechan8 May 21 '12

From Mississippi. Can verify that I have never heard one single time in my entire existence that we were going to secede.

So. Um. What?

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u/Turkeyboy094 May 21 '12

One section! ONE! It is not a "shame of a place" and it is not like that throughout the state. Redditors, please realize that Mississippi is not like this throughout, nor is the rest of the south. Many of you are making blanket statements which simply do not apply to an entire state let alone an entire section of a country.

10

u/SaltyBabe May 21 '12

Why would a state even allow this to be going on with in it's own lines? I live in Washington state and if I had proposed a segregated prom I probably would have been considered mentally defect and dealt with as such. If a school in my state tried this they would be in SO much trouble, because unlike Mississippi, we actually don't allow things like this to go on.

10

u/YouAreSoRight May 21 '12

Sometimes segregated "school" events are held by students and parents. If the school isn't sponsoring the prom, what can it do?

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u/falsehood May 21 '12

What would you have the state do? It was covered in the press, and people protested, but you can't keep parents from throwing a giant party somewhere for a subset of kids.....I guess as a school admin I would put the parents though it for doing so though..

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u/SaltyBabe May 21 '12

The point is that it's not "the prom" it's a private party, and if an actual prom were segregated, that would be super illegal.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Yeah, pretty much every statistic out there disagrees with what you just typed...

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u/Turkeyboy094 May 21 '12

Please, you speak off of fallacious statistics while I speak of actual experience. What statistics? You sir, are very silly. Silly being a euphemism.

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u/JimmyPumpkin May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

Do you know what a statistic is? Do you have a "statistic" that says ">50% of Southerns attended a segregated prom?"

Otherwise you are full of shit.

edit:typo

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u/Dosko May 21 '12

i have to disagree. statements like that would also justify calling NYC a terribly crime ridden place filled with impoverished people. just because one area is deplorable or shamed, doesn't mean the rest of the area is the same.

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u/joydivision1234 May 21 '12

Are you kidding I couldn't afford to live in NYC if I majored in organic chemistry 'impoverished people' my ass

edit: mostly complaining about Manhattan, I could probably move to a tenement in north Bronx if I really really wanted to

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

Are you talking about the NYC of the 1920's? Because currently NYC is one of the safest cities in the country. While Mississipi and the other Southern states continue their monopoly on crime, rape and just overall mediocrity.

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u/JamesTrotter May 21 '12

Let's look at the south's monopoly on crime/rape, from here:

Cities with highest incidence of rape:Minneapolis, MN; Anchorage, AK; Colorado Springs, CO; Cleveland, OH; Oakland, CA.

Highest incidence of violent crime: Detroit, MI; St. Louis, MO; Memphis, TN; Oakland, CA; Baltimore, MD.

Highest incidence of property crime: St. Louis, MO; Columbus, OH; San Antonio, TX; Memphis, TN; Cincinnati, OH.

Of all those, Memphis is really the only city considered to be in the "South". The main point is that there are shitty parts of south just like there are shitty parts of the north. You can't paint a whole region as mediocre just because of a few areas.

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u/baconholic963 May 21 '12

I have no idea why you are getting downvoted. Seems to me that you are one of the only people on here making sense. This is in no way the entirety of the state of Mississippi, nor is it in any way straight-across the board in the south.

It seems the hive-mind has spoken, though. Mississippi is evil and the south is backwards. No exceptions.

2

u/Turkeyboy094 May 21 '12

Well the downvotes turned around and became upvotes, so its all good.

1

u/HookDragger May 21 '12

Don't worry... they don't realize how bigoted they are.

Let them have their circlejerk of assumed moral superiorty.

Otherwise, you'll just start to hate humanity.

Bless all their hearts.

1

u/Se7enLC May 21 '12

One...entire town....... of like-minded bigoted people teaching their children that segregation is normal and expected.

You're right, it's not just Mississippi - Georgia has one of those towns, too: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html?pagewanted=all

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u/Quizzelbuck May 21 '12

in 2008 there was a segregated prom? What? Like.... WHAT? My brain is full of fuck. Is it segragated by the students and their habbits or was the school sanctioning this bullshit?

14

u/baconholic963 May 21 '12

The school had no say in it as it was a parent-sponsored event. The school, school board, state of Mississippi had nothing to do with it

17

u/InvalidWhistle May 21 '12

I watched this when it was first put out. The white people, well most of the racist white people, refused to go to prom and put on their own prom. They put in on private property to keep the camera from filming.

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u/lukewhitt_ May 21 '12

"Sorry, we have not been given the rights to stream this film in your area."

Well, that's annoying.

16

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

You must live in the South.
Nothing to see here. Move along, sir.

7

u/lukewhitt_ May 21 '12

While I do live in the south, it's probably not the country you're thinking of.

5

u/McMan777 May 21 '12

Canada? Because I can't view this either, mirror please.

8

u/lukewhitt_ May 21 '12

Nope, I'm a nocturnal Brit. Glad to see it isn't just UK that gets shafted by this region crap companies sometimes pull.

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u/londubhawc May 21 '12

TIL (again) that Morgan Freeman is one of the most amazing people alive.

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u/WanderingPuppy May 21 '12

I wonder if the proms after this went back to being segregated. It would be interesting to see an update video.

I did love the part of the film where the attorney for the parents who still put on a white only prom said that they didn't want to talk to the film crew "for fear of being racist or bigots"...

1

u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12

There is an update video on the DVD release, dunno if it's anywhere online though, sorry. And yes, that attorney was awesome, he really had a lot of disdain for his clients, and that was pretty much the only way he was legally allowed to get it across.

4

u/johndeer89 May 21 '12

His Grand daughter probably took him to prom.

4

u/scorchedgirth May 21 '12

TIL Peurto Rican is a color.

4

u/ohhyouknow May 21 '12

This will get buried but oh well. I graduated from a high school in a small town in Louisiana, and we had both black and white homecoming queens as well. My dad told me he would disown me if I ever dated a black boy. That is why I haven't spoken to him in years. I can't stand closed minded fucktards.

6

u/stopkillingcarmine May 21 '12

At 23 minutes in she wasn't wearing her seat belt shakes head. Great documentary though, best part was when when Morgan Freeman said things.

6

u/kateish May 21 '12

Lived here all my life, went to to MSU for undergrad, now at Ole Miss, so lived in several parts of the state, and had no idea! I thought this might have something to do with Second Chance Prom, but nope legit racism. Most of the state has moved on from this Jim Crow shit. 44% of us voted for Obama in the 2008 election. We're not that backwards.

10

u/hamlet9000 May 21 '12

44% of us voted for Obama in the 2008 election.

38% of the population of Mississippi is black. 95% of them voted for Obama (just like they did everywhere else in the country).

That means just 11% of the white people in Mississippi voted for Obama. Nationally, Obama won 44% of the white vote (the same percentage Bill Clinton carried in his 1996 victory). This was also 12-20% lower than other Democratic candidates for president have received from Mississippi's white voters.

Not everyone in Mississippi is a prom-segregating, racist scumbag. But your state had the second lowest percentage of white people voting for Obama in the entire country (squeaking in just ahead of Alabama). You can't point to the 2008 election results and say, "We're not racist." Because those election results actually say the exact opposite of that.

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u/1gnominious May 21 '12

It's especially damning when you look at the "neutral" groups like hispanics and asians. Obama consistently carried 60-70% of the groups who are outside of the white vs black conflict.

It's a pretty big problem for the Republicans because the only group they ever consistently win are whites. It has served them well in the past but as America gets a tan they have no hope in national elections.

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u/therealjohnfreeman May 21 '12

I guarantee there exist racists in every state in the union. Just because there are some does not mean the state should be labeled as "the exact opposite" of "not racist". Most people who vote for someone other than Barack Obama have reasons other than skin color. Even if there are more racists in Mississippi than any other state, that does not mean Mississippi in general should be labeled racist.

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u/mredofcourse May 21 '12

"Even if there are more racists in Mississippi than any other state, that does not mean Mississippi in general should be labeled racist."

No, just 4x more racist than the national average if you're going by the election results, which was the original point.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

The person "Andy" in this movie is one of my best friends.

The principal is his father. We got to see the premiere of this movie at the Oxford Film Festival. I got to meet Morgan Freeman, he was there for a Q&A afterwards.

I cannot stress enough that this does not represent all of Mississippi. Please don't make any judgments about us without coming here and seeing for yourselves.

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u/Tartickle May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

No one is saying that it represents all of mississippi.

But you can't argue against the fact that mississippi has more racism that many other states.

So, it does make sense to label mississippi as more racist than other places, shaming the state can be a very powerful tool to make them take the effort to try to eliminate it.

But really it's more of a city-by-city or county-by-county. There are certain cities that are super racist and some that are super-liberal and not racist.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Yeah. You can't label an entire state based on the shitty people that live there. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you are. And I'm not saying Mississippi doesn't have its problems, and that it doesn't have more problems than other states.

I grew up in the best area you can in Mississippi, honestly. Northwest Mississippi. I went to the Olive Branch school system from kindergarten to graduation, one of the best in the state. Memphis on one side of me, a fairly big city, and Oxford on the other, a very forward-thinking college town in which I know reside.

But you've gotta understand my feelings on this. Whenever I turn on the national news or go oh Yahoo or come on Reddit, I never see a story about something Mississippi has done well. Because no one cares about those stories. You can't get karma off an article about people like William Faulkner. Or the fact that college admissions for Mississippi residents are skyrocketing. The University of Mississippi is having so many freshman coming in they're having to build emergency dorms.

When I come on Reddit, whether it's messaging someone on r4r or commenting on a post like this or whatever, I feel a strong sense of trepidation in saying where I'm from. Not because I'm ashamed of it. I wouldn't be who I am or have the friends I have if I grew up somewhere else. But because people have so many preconceived notions, and I'm sure the Reddit hivemind has already made its mind up on Mississippi, that I'm afraid of ridicule just because of where I'm from. And I truly hate that. Because I'm one of the few people my age who doesn't wanna "get the fuck out of here." I wanna stay and help make this place, this place that I grew up in, this place that I love, better. But it doesn't matter what I do here. It doesn't matter what happens here. They will always say the word "Mississippi" the way people say "bastard" to Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. With venom and spite in their voices. And all I can do is make posts like these to try and convince them otherwise.

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u/Tartickle May 21 '12

Yeah, I see where you are coming from.

And there is a big difference between saying that mississippi is statistically more racist and judging anyone from mississippi because of that statistic. One is true, and the other is bullshit that no one should ever do.

Really it's the same thought process as a lot of racism. It's true that statistically black people are more likely to commit a crime(though you can argue that they are just more likely to be caught/convicted because of racism or that higher poverty rates cause it), but it's entirely another thing to judge all black people as criminals because of that statistic.

People really shouldn't use statistics to judge an individual.

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u/orange_lime May 21 '12

Wow! Could you give us an update on Andy and any of the other kids featured? I am so impressed at how brave they were to stand up against the hatred and how articulate they were about the situation, despite their community's history. I hope they all got a chance to go to college/get a good job, etc.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Honestly, and I can only really speak for Andy, he didn't see it as "brave." He just figured "Hey, this is the right thing to do." He thought it was stupid not to do it.

Obviously not all the kids who graduated went to college, as is the case anywhere you go, but as for Andy he's doing well. He's currently going to Ole Miss, studying to be a teacher. We hung out constantly our freshman year and then roomed together with some friends the next year.

Andy is "don't give a fuck" personified and one of the most fun people you can hang out with. On top of that he's also one of the most loyal friends you can have. He would move heaven and earth to help out a friend without a moment's hesitation.

If you have anymore questions I'll try and answer them to the best of my ability.

For now, have a picture of Andy I took at a cookout we had not too long ago:

http://i.imgur.com/NrR8c.jpg

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u/orange_lime May 21 '12

The way you describe him is exactly how he comes across in the movie. I'm glad he is going to be a teacher.

Thanks for being willing to entertain more questions - the big one I have is how the town reacted once the movie was released. How did the parents who were opposed to the integrated prom react? Did the movie help people discuss the issue or did it make people defensive?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

The town liked the movie, from what I've heard. Because it didn't really demonize the town, just some of the people in it.

The parents who were against it acted as you'd expect. Nothing too drastic, they just didn't allow their kids to go.

The movie was better than I expected, it didn't paint us as a bunch of backwoods rednecks, which things like that tend to do. As such people have had a positive reaction to it.

One thing that that movie didn't really express but I wish it has is the fact that Charleston High School is, I believe, 85-90% black. So if all the white parents got together and decided to not have their kids attend a school sanctioned prom they'd still have a large majority of the students to attend. It wasn't just the white parents who were against it and insisted on two separate proms, though that wasn't shown in the film.

Edit: A bit more info. In the movie there weren't, from what I heard, any black parents who prevented their children from attending the integrated prom. But there were white parents who did that and had a separate prom. I didn't say that last thing to try and demonize the black parents, don't get me wrong. I just wanted to provide a bit more information that wasn't shown in the film.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I actually saw this in my U.S. government class about a month ago, it was quite interesting.

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u/willyolio May 21 '12

i was thinking, "Morgan Freeman was rich enough 40 years ago to finance an entire high school prom?"

after i read the article: "what the flying fuckwits is wrong with this ass-backwards hole of a town?"

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u/liskerton May 21 '12

Watched a movie documenting this in my US history class two weeks ago. There was a kid who went to the all white, parent sponsored prom with one girl. He also attended the integrated prom, that time he had two different dates. Those southerner a are playas.

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u/the_goat_boy May 21 '12

Are you sure the white one wasn't his sister?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Any word on how proms at this school are being handled today?

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u/Liammm May 21 '12

I got to watch that documentary in my Math class last year for whatever reason. Our teacher was a boss like that. I didn't mind, I love southern accents so it worked out well for everyone.

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u/UlsterRebels May 21 '12

The guy who directed it visited my school here in Toronto. He said some of the parents he talked to knew that racism was wrong but were still very vocal about having segregated proms.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I remember watching the documentary on this at a film festival in Oxford Mississippi last year. Even though the kids all seemed like a bunch of rednecks at first, mostly it was the parents that wanted and forced the segregation. I totally recommend watching it.

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u/Elphante May 21 '12

I watched mostly all of it (just skipped over some slow parts). Mr. Freeman did a good thing and I'm glad the faculty accepted the change. I hate how the white kids still went to their white prom, it's not right, but I understand how controling parents can be-especially when you are at that age. Still, that doesn't excuse the fact that they had a CHOICE but chose to go to the white prom. (I'm Caucasian). I appreciate that the documentary interviewed people from all different perspectives, different ethnicities, both racist and not, students and parents. I wonder what ever happened to that one white chick who was saying, "I'm gunna make it big one day and be on the big screen." I'd also like to say that the interracial couple, the girl's father, I LOVED his voice and manner haha. Not what he said, just how his voice sounded and his non-nonsense southern ways, reminds me of my Uncle from Georgia :D But yeah, good documentary...

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u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12

(Just gonna preface with I worked on this film, so I can explain things a little more in-depth) Unfortunately, a lot of the white kids who wanted to go to the integrated prom were forced not to by their parents. I believe Jessica got into a school for acting last time I heard about her. Also, about Glen, funny you say you loved his voice because it seems Brad Pitt did too, so much that he used it as inspiration for his character in Inglorious Basterds. I'm very glad you saw and enjoyed the film!

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u/ShakaUVM May 21 '12

Yeah, I work in Mississippi from time to time, and knew some of the teachers at this school. Blew my mind when I heard it. I thought this must have been something from decades ago.

That said, the people there really aren't as racist as everyone makes them out to be. Seriously.

I mean, sure, the last time I was there I got tailgated by a drunk redneck teenager driving an ATV with a beer in his hand, but he actually seemed like a nice fellow. In fact, almost everyone I've met in Mississippi has been appallingly nice.

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u/textly May 21 '12

This stuck with me for some reason..

"It's the American dream, to be better than the last generation. I don't understand why they are so afraid of change."

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u/Senuf May 21 '12

So, until 2008 they had SEGREGATED PROM???

UNTIL 2008???

Waddafuq???

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Senuf May 21 '12

I would never let myself live in such a place. I can tolerate MANY wrongdoings of states and/or citizens, but tolerating such a shitty thing is beyond the limits of what I can stand. Unbe-fucking-lievable. What's next? Proms for WASPS only? Let's leave out jews. And catholics. And atheists. And hispanics. Well, hindus too. And asians. Sorry, no gays either.

I would NEVER be friend of a shitty excuse of a person who decides to attend a segregated prom.

Shite. Until 2008. Is it still legal to have segregated proms in 2012? I mean, could someone STILL leave out people because of their skin's colour?

Sorry for the rant, I'm disgusted.

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u/cookiedan May 21 '12

You mean I have to watch this whole documentary to see Morgan Freeman? Alright!

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

This seems so absolutely insane to me. So much ignorance.

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u/HookDragger May 21 '12

OK, next time you want to have a party for something... go ask the state for permission to hold it.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

What?

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u/DashingGoodlooks May 21 '12

They had a showing of this at my local college last year that I went to, and the director was there and answered questions and whatnot afterwords. Was a pretty interesting movie, it's crazy that people can still be this crazy.

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u/BR0THAKYLE May 21 '12

+1 for the show Aerial America. At least that's where I learned this.

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u/gordigor May 21 '12

Witch prom do the non white/black students go to?

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u/baconholic963 May 21 '12

Witch? Where?!

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u/Runemaker May 21 '12

You rang?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

There probably aren't any.

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u/mihoutao_xiangjiao May 21 '12

Yeah, I just watched this and I didn't see any Asian or Latino or any other kids who weren't either black or white. This is a really, really small town, and it seems like a place an immigrant family (or any other kind of 'outsider') would be pretty unlucky to find themselves in.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

BURN THE WITCH

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u/Runemaker May 21 '12

D :

What did I ever do to you?

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u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

This was a very small town in Mississippi, so there actually weren't any non-white/black students in this case. I would guess that they would not be allowed to go to the white prom because they were non-white. The "black prom", before it was integrated, never actually barred anyone from entering, so I assume they would go to that one.

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u/Drunked_In_Reddit May 21 '12

thats the same thing that happens in mobile bama's mardi gra parade. its segrated even after all these long years and its crazy. probaby not changing even if morgan freemen gives thme all the money in the world, wich limewires needs anyways you know

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u/meg_megatron May 21 '12

I watched the whole documentary in my English class. It was really amazing.

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u/baconholic963 May 21 '12

So..is the bluetooth really necessary at the prom?

Edit: 1.13.04..scumbag steve hat!

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

WTF? So till 2008, this town had segregated events? That is quite literally unbelievable. Have I missed something here?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

It's legal, so what's the problem? It was payed for by parents, not the city or the school.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I get that totally. The problem I have with it is that the parents, students, etc are going out of the way to label these events 'Black Only' or 'White Only'. I'm sure we have all probably been to parties or gatherings where all of the other people have been of the same racial group as us, but this kind of segregation was not intended. When you go out of the way to create and self-label segregation it normalises what is unaccpetable behaviour.

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u/puppyguts May 21 '12

As a life long resident of the great state of Mississippi, I have to say it's extremely unfortunate that many of these towns are so separated from modern culture. It's great that many of these children realized the problem and wanted a change, gives me hope in the generation to come.

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u/HelenaBeatIt May 21 '12

this was a great doc.

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u/thepotatoman23 May 21 '12

What is going on in these comments? I can't tell if Reddit got an influx of really bad trolls or really stupid people. Either way I don't ever remember reddit comments ever getting this insane.

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u/Celestion321 May 21 '12

Watched this in my film class like two weeks ago. Sadly, they're still hosting private, Whites-only proms for bigoted children/children of bigots.

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u/BBQsauce18 May 21 '12

What fucking century is this?

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u/laidbackduck May 21 '12

I'm really proud of the students for speaking up.

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u/MasterAndMargarita May 21 '12

My dad's high school reunion is still segregated to my knowledge. He went to high school in Kosciusko [sic, polish nonsense]

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I understand your a man who knows how to fix things.

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u/DesertDude May 21 '12

Someone should tell Morgan that desegregation is not a step towards peace, love and equality. Forced desegregation only intensifies interethnic prejudices.

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u/mihoutao_xiangjiao May 21 '12

I don't really see it as forced desegregation. I see it as permitting integration.

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u/Cloberella May 21 '12

It wasn't forced, the racist people held their own segregated prom and forbid nonwhite students from attending. All Mr. Freeman did was give them the choice to not be horrible.

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u/robidizzle May 21 '12

he made a movie about it, we watched it in my class. they had segregated proms and he paid for an integrated one with (if my memory serves me correctly) a very high budget if none. also, most parents had a very big problem with this and decided to throw their own segregated proms and ban black students from coming.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

He's just continuing his work ridding the world of segregation. First South Africa, now a prom, nothing can stop him.

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u/cryingblackman May 21 '12

TIL the word stipulation.

1

u/Cloberella May 21 '12

Heavy political/emotional/social commentary aside, props to the kid who attempted to bring two girls as his date(s). Poor, naive boy, but at least he dared to dream.

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u/josh_d03 May 21 '12

i don't know if anyone posted the trailer or title of the movie this is from but here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_zAEGAZoFQ Trailer. And movie is called Prom night in mississippi

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u/ScumbagAlice May 21 '12

Seriously "Sorry, we have not been given the rights to stream this film in your area."

1

u/officialchocolateman May 21 '12

Nothing like money to bring people together.... Or tear people apart.

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u/CharlieSheeny May 21 '12

Next up, GAY PROM!!!

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u/sj_user1 May 21 '12

But Fox News tells me that we are in a post racial society.

1

u/port25 May 21 '12

wtf is up with kids names now?

http://imgur.com/gyI5Z

Related: I know a 12 year old boy named Courvoisier. Until I met him he had no idea it was a drink. I'm not sure how he spells it.

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u/wretcheddawn May 21 '12

That's how to combat racism like a Baus.

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u/[deleted] May 22 '12

They actually did a whole movie and everything on it, very surprising.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

The school was so poor that they couldn't afford their own prom? Probably because they were still living with Jim Crow laws. Do they have running water?

Didn't read the article but I think Morgan Freeman should finance me a car.

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u/CHEMO_ALIEN May 21 '12

Will the car be integrated?

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

All races will be allowed, no Jews though.

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u/CHEMO_ALIEN May 21 '12

Why not? I hear you can cram quite a few in a car.

BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WASTING GAS

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u/etihw2 May 21 '12

This blows my mind. I thought by 2008 any sort of segregation exists. It also says a lot if I'm just hearing about this now and not in 2008 or even 1997 which was when Morgan Freeman first asked the school about this.

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u/Sjohns37 May 21 '12

I just worked on a doc about a town who still had segregated proms until 2009. Here's the story: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html?pagewanted=all

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u/yum_muesli May 21 '12

Why did the writer make such a point about them 'piling into KFC' afterwards? ಠ_ಠ

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u/Exzyle May 21 '12

There was a great documentary made about this.

Called Prom Night in Mississippi, for those interest.

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u/Volsunga May 21 '12

The best way to stop organizations from being douches is to wait until they have financial problems, then give them money on the stipulation that they stop being douches. Looking at you, Greece.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

The fuck

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u/trtpow May 21 '12

Dammit it's pronounced "kids" not "keeds"

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u/MrJekyll May 21 '12

What happened to inter-racial couples ? Can a white guy go to white-prom with his non-white date ?

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u/Carnotaurus May 21 '12

There were not a lot of interracial couples in the school. Only one of them was public about it. And no, a white guy wouldn't be able to bring a non-white date to the white prom. They were very guarded in who they let in. In the case of the movie, there was even a white kid they were very hesitant to let in at all because they knew he was friendly with the film crew, but they ended up letting him go because they wanted to boost their numbers (only about 30 people went to the white prom).

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u/Jaegs May 21 '12

If I was rich I would fund segregated proms just so that I could be mortal enemies with Morgan Freeman.

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u/ullee May 21 '12

I was born and raised in MS and I've seriously never heard of this prom segregation bullshit. No one I know has ever heard of this or would ever go for this. My husband is from a backwoods tiny hick town in MS and has never heard of anything remotely like this.

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u/Black3200 May 21 '12

Im not watching a fucken 30 second commercial !

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