Eyes on the Prize

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Television series
Original title Eyes on the Prize
Country of production United States
original language English
year 1987/1990
length 60 minutes
Episodes 14 in 2 seasons
genre documentary
production Henry Hampton
First broadcast January 21, 1987 on Public Broadcasting Service

Eyes on the Prize is a 14-hour documentary series by American director Henry Hampton about the black civil rights movement in the USA and its fight against segregation and racism . It consists of two seasons, which were first broadcast in 1987 and 1990 by the Public Broadcasting Service . It was successful with critics and viewers and became a standard teaching tool in US schools.

content

The documentation is mainly based on original film material and interviews with contemporary witnesses . In the interviews, groups of people with different views on the civil rights movement have their say. These include historians, former protesters, and members of civil rights organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee . Historically, the series covers the period from 1954 to 1985. The first part, Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954–1965, comprises six hours of film material and ends with positive moments from the American civil rights movement, such as the signing of the Voting Rights Act 1965. The eight-hour second part, entitled Eyes on the Prize II : America at the Racial Crossroads, 1965–1985 ties in with the time and addresses, among other things, the threat to the progress made. The election of Harold Washington as the first African American Mayor of Chicago marks the end of the series. All episodes are commented on by the American civil rights activist, politician and author Julian Bond (* 1940). They are accompanied by film music over large stretches . This includes both classical and contemporary pieces from artists such as James Brown and Aretha Franklin . The title song is the eponymous civil rights anthem Keep Your Eyes on the Prize (also: Hold on ).

backgrounds

From 1977 to 1978, Henry Hampton (1940-1998) developed the concept for a documentary series on the American civil rights movement. On behalf of Capital Cities , a former media company and parent company of ABC , a first documentary was made on a very tight budget, which Capital Cities ultimately rejected because it focused too little on the important personalities of the movement. The project was not implemented by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) until the mid-1980s . Production was carried out by Hampton's Boston production company Blackside , and the Ford Foundation, among others, contributed to the financing in addition to PBS . Extensive material from various sources has been collected and used. This included videos from 82 different archives, approx. 275 photographs from 93 archives and over 120 music tracks. The film team also conducted interviews with contemporary witnesses, so that new recordings were incorporated into the production process. While Hampton was organizing the financing of the project, he realized that not all of the material could be realized immediately and divided the series into two seasons. In April 1986, work began on the second season, even before the first had aired.

The first broadcast of both seasons took place, beginning on January 21, 1987 and January 15, 1990, in a weekly rhythm at 9 p.m. on Channel 28 (KCET) and Channel 13 of PBS. The series was marketed on VHS and DVD . In Germany it was first performed at the Berlinale in 1988 in the Forum section .

In 1987 Hampton was sued by the heirs of Martin Luther King for using his speech entitled I Have a Dream . Hampton initially won the lawsuit, but plaintiffs were adjudicated after appealing.

Expired licenses for film material, photographs and music meant that Eyes on the Prize has neither been broadcast nor available for sale since the mid-1990s. With the help of donations from the Ford Foundation and The Gilder Foundation (Richard Gilder), the material could be relicensed. The first season was shown again on TV for the first time in 2006, the second season in 2008. In 2010 the first season appeared again on DVD.

reception

Eyes on the Prize had a total of over 20 million viewers and was awarded six Emmys and one Oscar nomination. In American schools and educational institutions, this documentation is often used as part of classroom materials. More than 40 percent of four-year colleges and thousands of high and middle schools in the United States purchased the associated videos.

The response in the media was also extensive and largely positive. In the Los Angeles Times , film critic Howard Rosenberg described the first season as "exhaustive six-part documentary of record that shouldn't be missed" (German: a comprehensive six-part documentary that shouldn't be missed ). Walter Goodman from The New York Times praised: “Sensitively composed of new interviews and resonant footage, the six one-hour programs tell the story through those who took part in it. The straightforward narration, written by Steve Fayer and delivered in a low-keyed way by Julian Bond, does not strain for effects. There is drama enough in the faces and confrontations of the time. " (German: Sensitively compiled from new interviews and lingering film material, the six one-hour programs tell the story through those who took part. The straightforward narrative, written by Steve Fayer and conveyed in an unobtrusive way by Julian Bond, does not call for effects There is enough drama on faces and confrontations this time ).

Episode list

No. title First broadcast Director Summary
1.1 Awakenings (1954-1956) January 21, 1987 Judith Vecchione The first part of the documentary covers the period from 1954 to 1958. The focus is on segregation and racism , which is illustrated by means of cases such as the murder of Emmett Till and the Montgomery Bus Boycott triggered by Rosa Parks .
1.2 Fighting Back (1957-1962) January 28, 1987 Judith Vecchione This episode covers overcoming segregation in schools and universities from 1957 to 1962. Case studies include the Little Rock Nine and the struggle of the University of Mississippi's first African-American student , James Meredith .
1.3 Ain't Scared of Your Jails (1960-1961) 4th February 1987 Orlando Bagwell Episode 3 tells, among other things, the story of the Freedom Riders .
1.4 No Easy Walk (1961–1963) February 11, 1987 Callie Crossley
James A. DeVinney 		This episode focuses on Martin Luther King and mass demonstrations by the civil rights movement .
1.5 Mississippi: Is This America? (1963–1964) February 18, 1987 Orlando Bagwell This episode is one of the Mississippi civil rights activist murders . Its author, Steve Fayer , won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in News and Documentary Programming .
1.6 Bridge to Freedom (1965) February 25, 1987 Callie Crossley
James A. DeVinney 		This episode shows, among other things, the electoral movement in Selma under Martin Luther King. Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act . This documentary was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Documentary in 1988 .
2.1 The Time Has Come (1964-1966) January 15, 1990 James A. DeVinney
Madison D. Lacy 		This episode is dedicated to civil rights activists Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , among others .
2.2 Two Societies (1965–1968) January 22, 1990 Sheila Curran Bernard
Samuel D. Pollard 		Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference campaign for nonviolent resistance in Chicago . In Detroit it comes to race riots .
2.3 Power! (1966–1968) January 29, 1990 Louis J. Massiah
Terry Kay Rockefeller 		The African American Carl Stokes is elected Mayor of Cleveland , the Black Panther Party is founded in Oakland and a fight for control of the schools in Brooklyn .
2.4 The Promised Land (1967-1968) 5th February 1990 Jacqueline Shearer
Paul Stekler 		This episode is about the last years of Martin Luther King's life, his campaign against the Vietnam War and the Poor People's Campaign.
2.5 Ain't Gonna Shuffle No More (1964–1972) February 12, 1990 Sheila Curran Bernard
Samuel D. Pollard 		The episode focuses on Muhammad Ali . The student movement at Howard University is also discussed. The National Black Political Convention takes place in Indiana .
2.6 A Nation of Law? (1968–1971) 19th February 1990 Louis J. Massiah
Thomas Ott
Terry Kay Rockefeller 		The episode deals with increasing police violence against civil rights activists, including the Fred Hampton case . There is a prison riot in the Attica Correctional Facility with numerous dead.
2.7 The Keys to the Kingdom (1974-1980) February 26, 1990 Jacqueline Shearer
Paul Stekler 		In Boston schools, some whites prevent mandatory desegregation . Maynard Jackson becomes the first African American Mayor of Atlanta .
2.8 Back to the Movement (1979-mid 80s) March 5, 1990 James A. DeVinney
Madison D. Lacy 		Race riots break out in Miami . Harold Washington becomes Chicago's first African American Mayor.

literature

  • Juan Williams: Eyes on the prize: America's civil rights years, 1954-1965. Viking, New York 1987, ISBN 0-670-81412-1 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ About the TV-Series pbs.org. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  2. ^ A b Sheila Curran Bernard: Eyes on the Rights: The Rising Cost of Putting History on Screen. International Documentary Association, June 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  3. ^ A b Scott Timberg: Eyes on the Prize comes to DVD. The 1987 civil rights documentary emerges from a long period of unavailability. In: Los Angeles Times April 3, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  4. ↑ Katie Dean: Cash Rescues Eyes on the Prize. wired.com, August 30, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  5. ↑ a b Robert Lovinger: SECOND 'PRIZE' A 'Prize' Conversation with Henry Hampton. In: D Magazine January 1, 1990. Retrieved February 23, 2013
  6. ^ A b Howard Rosenberg : Reconnoitering the Terrain of Unfinished Wars - here and abroad: Eyes on the Prize: Civil Rights Years. In: Los Angeles Times January 21, 1987. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  7. ↑ 1988 program berlinale.de. Retrieved February 23, 2013
  8. ^ Controversy over Martin Luther King speech: Thoughts are unfree , Spiegel-Online from August 26, 2013
  9. ^ PBS News pbs.org. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  10. ^ Walter Goodman: TV Reviews; 'Eyes on the Prize, on Rights. In: The New York Times January 22, 1987. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  11. ↑ PBS, '20-20 'Big Winners in News Emmys apnewsarchive.com. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  12. ^ The 60th Academy Awards (1988) Nominees and Winners oscars.org. Retrieved February 23, 2013.