Reference no: EM132184468

Movie Assignment Guidelines

In an essay of no less than 750 words, you will be writing an essay on the film related to the track that you signed up for earlier this semester.

When writing your essay, you do not need to, nor are you expected to, answer all of the questions below; rather, they are meant to be a starting point to help you organize your thoughts into a well-written essay. Focusing on one or two questions is perfectly acceptable.

Be sure not to give a movie review-you are watching these films to gain a greater historical understanding of different eras. Be sure to use specific instances from the movie to support your argument. Do not use outside sources; instead, papers should be written based on your understanding of the film you choose. The essay will be due on the date noted next to the movie. This assignment will be worth 100 points towards your final grade.

Civil Rights Track: All the Way

1) At the beginning of the film, Martin Luther King says, "That's the question isn't it? What Lyndon Johnson really wants." What is it that you think that Johnson wants to achieve? How does he use his political savvy to get what he wants? How can we see throughout the film that Johnson is playing the long game rather than attempting to get everything Civil Rights related accomplished at once? Do you think that this is a sound political strategy? Why or why not?

2) Throughout this film, how is the relationship between LBJ and Martin Luther King Jr. depicted? Do the two men seem more like enemies, allies, or something else? How do other governmental figures seek to challenge their relationship? Ultimately, how do you see each of these men viewing the other?

3) In the aftermath of the passage of this bill, LBJ is up for election. What other issues are occurring racially in the country leading up the election? What other issues are LBJ facing internationally? Were you surprised that he was re-elected? Why or why not?

4) In the aftermath of the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, do you think African-Americans should have trusted LBJ? Why or why not?

5) Based on this film, how liberal do you think that LBJ really was on race issues? Were his reactions to things like the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party based on racism or politics or something else altogether? Be sure to fully explain your answer.