Historical Accuracy Of The Movie Selma

Ava DuVernay released Selma in December 2014, the movie portrayed a critical time during the Civil Rights Era which was the turning point leading to African Americans right to vote. During the movie there are gruesome and heartbreaking scenes that demonstrate how dangerous life was during this Era. Scenes such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches, 16th Street Baptist bombing, peaceful protests turned violent, and the relationship between Dr. King and President Lyndon B. Johnson capture the truth during the Civil Rights Movement. The movie, Selma, begins with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. saying his speech when he won the Nobel Peace Prize, while Dr. King is giving his speech four innocent girls are killed in a bombing at 16th Street

King takes is to the Courthouse straight in the center of the town because that is where the voters registration happened. Dr. King and all of the protestors peacefully try to go inside the registration office when shown in the movie one blind man is not able to sit. Sheriff Jim Clark makes his way to the man when he then pushes him down and Annie Lee Cooper stands up and bashes Sheriff Jim Clark in the head. This scene captures the first real violent encounter between local law enforcement and African Americans, the historical accuracy of this scene is how many people are arrested for the protest including Dr.

King. The movie only shows two of the three marches but still captures how African Americans would do whatever it takes for them to have the right to vote. The second march is constructed and clergy members show, whites, and other people coming to help support in the walk to Montgomery, Alabama. Once again they were met at the end of the bridge with local law enforcement waiting but instead of being attacked the trooper withdraw. Instead of continuing the march, the marchers all stop on the middle of the bridge and peacefully kneel down and begin to pray and Dr. King decides to turn around and head back to Selma. This is a different than everyone expect and there are still questions to why Dr. King decided to not continue the march. After seeing all of the violence on television, President Lyndon B Johnson passes the Voting Rights Act of 1865 to Congress which he later signed. The passing of the act lead to the last final march, when Dr. King and everyone marches to Montgomery, Alabama with hundreds of supporters behind them. To help capture the historical accuracy of the marches, the film is finished by showing actual footage from the marches and events that led to the Voting Rights Act