Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years 1954-1965

1987 TV-PG 3 discs

Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years 1954-1965

1987 TV-PG 3 discs
  • Overview
  • Details
This Emmy-winning documentary from the PBS "American Experience" series uses newsreel footage and narratives from famous and everyday people to take viewers inside the struggle for civil rights during the crucial years of 1954 through '65. Among the critical events discussed are the Montgomery bus boycott, the integration of schools in Little Rock, the murder of activists in Mississippi and Martin Luther King's groundbreaking marches to freedom.
Format
DVD
Subtitles
English
CC
No
Audio
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Rating
TV-PG - This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children.
age 14+
Common Sense rating OK for kids 14+
age 14+

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this powerful documentary depicts real-life racial violence, cruelty, bigotry, and name-calling. The fact that these events are true history might be more disturbing to kids and teens than fictional fare. There are scenes and images of African Americans being victimized by their white neighbors, including riots, beatings, the results of lynchings, murder, and general injustice. In addition, Southern government officials deliver angry tirades against the African Americans in their communities, describing them as less than full human beings and using multiple racial slurs, including the "N" word. However, for mature kids and teens, this film is an even-handed, solid, and accurate record of this crucial time in the history of America.

Sexual Content

Not applicable

Violence

Newsreel footage shows white Southern citizens demonstrating and exhibiting cruelty toward African-American children and adults. Numerous photographs depict the aftermath of lynchings, with dead men hanging from trees or scaffolding. Sequences include rioting, Ku Klux Klan gatherings, police brutality, and racially motivated beatings.

Language

Racial taunts -- including the "N" word and other forms of the slur, as well as "cracker" -- are heard throughout.

Social Behavior

The ultimate "prize" is freedom. Passive resistance and non-violence, even in the face of great cruelty, is an effective and powerful way to achieve change. It takes men and women of courage to make even the smallest inroads into a culture of deeply ingrained prejudice. Such bigotry may not completely disappear for generations, if ever.

Consumerism

Not applicable

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Not applicable

  • Age appropriate
  • Not an issue
  • Depends on your child and your family
  • Parents strongly cautioned
  • Not appropriate for kids of the age

This information for parents is provided by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving kids' media lives.

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