Remember the Titans is a perfect example of how minority athletes faced racial discrimination and their slow integration into white society. The movie explores the civil topics of racism, discrimination and athletics. Although based on a true story, the sports drama film changed and dramatized the events that actually occurred during T.C. Williams 1971 high school football season in Alexandria, Virginia. Boaz Yakin, director, intended for the film to depict and emphasize the conflict between white and black athletes and how even at the youth level discrimination and racial tension existed. By doing so, Yakin included some events and characters that did not actually exist in order to furthermore explain his point. This helped the audience connect to the characters, aiding them in order to feel and experience the events to a greater knowledge. The main difference between the film and actual events is the climax of the movie, the 1971 AAA state championship football game between T.C. Williams and George C. Marshall High School. The dramatic license taken in the movie converted a mid-season matchup into a made for Hollywood state championship. The Marshall game had been the toughest game that T.C. Williams played and in reality the state championship, against Andrew Lewis High School, ended with a 27-0 blowout in favor of the Titans. By making the state championship against Marshall instead of Andrew Lewis, Yakin and producers better highlighted the difficultness both the black and white athletes faced in order to reach the championship.
Boaz Yakin included other changes to thoroughly explain the conflict between the racially mixed T.C. High School football players. An important difference that exists includes the creation of ficti...
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...issues that surrounded them and their community. This changes the course of the film because for the first time black and white men are seen truly bonding and caring for each other at a time of great sorrow. The events that happened in the real world vary to a lesser extent than those of the film. Gerry and Julius indeed had a good friendship but they did not have the bond that is depicted in the film. The statement that Gerry told the nurse toward Julius actually occurred, although many players had been stopped by the nurses in the intensive care unit, all of which replied were immediate family. Society took a drastic change as both whites and blacks united in order to support Gerry in his time of need. This film has aided the popular view of the Civil Rights Era and how after constant discrimination and racism, minorities began to integrate into white society.
The movie "Remember the Titans" is a character education filled film for all ages. To summarize, this movie takes place in the year nineteen seventy-one and follows the issue of racism. Two high schools in the town of Alexandria, Virginia are being integrated into an African American and Caucasian school, and that mix includes the football team. The movie follows the story of their development. At first, the two races sit, talk, and practice separate. After one practice camp, and one passionate coach, the boys learn to respect and become friendly with each other. However, after the two week practice camp is up and they go back to school, the rest of the high school does not understand why the football players have changed. However, the football
The Titans were flawless, in the sense that they were greater than the gods. They could not be killed, and thus they were invincible. Their universe was ruled with absolute power. The football team of T.C. Williams High School were the Titans of Alexandra, Virginia. Their football field was their universe and with such power, they controlled the field with merciless victory. This did not mean that the players were perfect, rather that together, unified perfection was achieved. In the film Remember the Titans, many social issues became points of focus, with racism predominantly being mentioned above all else.
“We are more visible, but not more valuable”. This famous quote was said by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the most famous black basketball players, symbolized what many black athletes were pursuing when they first got into sports. In today’s world not only are black athletes a part of our sports venue, they are dominating the landscape of some sports such as the NBA which consists of a whopping 80% black athletes. Black athletes continue to revitalize sports in America as some athletes became the face of their sports such as Muhammad Ali in boxing, Jackie Robinson in baseball and Michael Jordan in basketball. Sports came as a form of entertainment for many Americans, but for black athletes it came as a pathway to express who they were and what they believed in. The more they became involved in sports, the more media they were able to attract which enabled them to talk about topics other than sports such as racism, their religions and equality through the civil rights movement. These views and statements made in their interviews and press conferences were the ones that became publicized and more popular amongst the typical white men in America and it played a huge role in changing the way blacks were viewed in American society.
Walter Winchell once said, “Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.” The movie Remember The Titans gives truth to this quote. Produced in 2000, this movie stars actors such as Denzel Washington, Will Patton and Wood Harris. One may think that this movie is just about football but its depth is so much more. Taking place in Alexandria, Virginia, race mixing is unheard of until 1971 when T.C. Williams High School is established. When the schools are integrated a new football coach is brought in and the community and students are not happy about it, as the new coach is an African American. This movie shows how people overcome adversity and unite as one to achieve a common goal.
In the 1950s, America was viewed as one the strongest nations in the World. America established itself as a strong military super power and dominate country in World War II. The effects of World War II carried over in the 1950s, America saw a lot of economic growth, there was an increase in the amount of people who moved to the suburbs, and the baby boom which came about because of the millions of soldiers returning home from military services. Even though this seemed like a happy time, there was still a thick tension in America. This tension was between African-Americans and white Americans. In 1865, the thirteenth amendment was passed which abolished slavery. Even though this occurred, white people still felt that African-American were inferior to them so they treated them accordingly. Society functioned around this principle and as a result, segregation was created. Some of the things that arose from segregation were that blacks were not allowed in certain places, they received an education in old schools that taught from raggedy or out dated textbooks, and they had to move to the back of the bus when a white person needed a seat or wanted a seat in the front. This lead to social reform and a civil rights movement. “There was a feeling of unfulfilled ambitions and expectations among many blacks” (Marble 37). African-Americans wanted an end to segregation and wanted equal rights, equal treatment, and equal opportunities. One of the steps they made into doing this was breaking color barriers. One area of the color barrier in America that African-Americans were starting to break down was the one placed on football. African-American football players in the 1950s had to endure a strong amount of racial discrimination, however their ...
There is a scene in this movie where the coach takes the team on a long run in the middle of the night. They end up at the break of dawn at a cemetery. The coach tells the young men of the battle that was fought on that ground. He told of the blood shed on those grounds that turned the whole area red. This can help many people that want to make a difference in this world. They had to stand up for their new knowledge to people that they love and trust.
Racism in Sports and the African American College Athlete The role of college athletics in the American home is known to all. The traditional football games on Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. March Madness for NCAA men's basketball as well as the year's end Rose Bowl for college football leaves fans glued to their televisions for hours.
Remember the Titans is a film based on the true story of Coach Herman Boone, who tries to integrate a racially divided team. Throughout training camp and the season, Boone and Yoast 's black and white players learn to accept each other, to work together, and that football knows no race. As they learn from each other, Boone and Yoast also learn from them and in turn, the whole town learns from the team, the Titans. Thus, they are prepared to pursue the State Championship and to deal with and some adversity that threatens to effect their season.
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of the Brown v. the Board of Education. This was a very historical moment because their ruling eliminated, the "separate but equal " doctrine. Their ruling called for school integration, although most school were very slow in complying if they complied at all. The NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Color People, viewed this ruling as a success. The schools lack of the obedience toward this ruling, made it necessary for black activism to make the federal government implement the ruling, and possibly help close the racial gap that existed in places other than public schools. During one of the boycotts for equality, a leader emerged that would never be forgotten. Dr. Martin Luther King, who was leader of the Montgomery bus boycott, quickly became the spokesperson for racial equality. He believed that the civil rights movement would have more success if the black people would use non violent tactics. Some say he was adopting the style of Ghandi. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, SCLC, was formed by King and other activist in 1957. They were a group of black ministers and activist who agreed to try and possibly help others see the effects of a non violent movement. Also following the strategies set by the SCLC, a group known as the SNCC or the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, began a string of sit-in and campaigns as the black population continued it's fight for equality. It was the undying efforts of the two groups that paved the way for the march on Washington. This march which drew a crowd of at least 200,000, was the place that Dr. King, gave his famous "dream speech." Both the SNCC, and the SCLC were victims of lots of threats and attempted attacks, yet they continued to pursue freedom in a non violent fashion. However near the late 60's they had another problem on their hands. There was a group of activist known as the Black Panthers who were not so eager to adopt the non-violent rule. The believed that the civil rights movement pushed by Dr. King and is non-violent campaign, which was meant to give blacks the right to vote and eliminate segregation, was not solving problems faced in poor black communities. This Black Panther group, stabled the term "black power", which was used a sort of uplifting for the black self esteem.
The Desegregation of baseball in America was a slow process. Near the end of the 1800's, African American ballplayers were accepted in the Major Leagues, but as their success grew, they were quickly banned from the league. For the fifty-year period that there were no blacks in the Major Leagues, the Negro Leagues were where black ballplayers competed. The Negro Leagues grew and many stars emerged from the leagues that now have a legendary status. When Jackie Robinson joined the Major Leagues in 1954, baseball was once again desegregated (Sailer). The complete integration of the league was not as rapid as many would have expected. Economic reasons seemed to be the main reason why African Americans were brought back into the Major Leagues but there were other factors that contributed.
The history of sports goes back since ancient times. It has been a useful way for people to explore nature and their environment. Sports include different activities and games such as football, soccer, basketball, and etc. to express their skills and talents. Also, sports are a way to relax and have fun; but are sports all our African Americans rely on? The dream to become future sports stars. The reason why Gates begins his essay with an anecdote is to show and compare how many african-american athletes were at work today and how little the chances of African-Americans becoming athletes are compared to being a lawyer, dentist, or even a doctor. African-Americans assume that they are born athletes and it’s because the school system doesn’t teach them reality and educate them to undertake more realistic goals for careers.
Shropshire, Kenneth L. 1996. In black and white: race and sports in America. New York: New York University Press.
The movie I decided to analyze was Remember the Titans. I examined the dilemmas and ethical choices that were displayed throughout the story. In the early 1970s, two schools in Alexandria Virginia integrate forming T.C. Williams High School. The Caucasian head coach of the Titans is replaced by an African American coach (Denzel Washington) from North Carolina, which causes a fury among white parents and students. Tensions arise quickly among the players and throughout the community when players of different races are forced together on the same football team. Coach Boone is a great example of a leader. He knows he faces a tough year of teaching his hated team. But, instead of listening to the hating town or administrators, Boone pushes his team to their limits and forces good relationships between players, regardless of race. His vision for the team involves getting the players concerned in what the team needs to become, and not what it is supposed to be; a waste. Boone is a convincing leader with a brutal, boot camp approach to coaching. He believes in making the players re-build themselves as a team. When Boone says, You will wear a jacket, shirt, and tie. If you don't have one buy one, can't afford one then borrow one from your old man, if you don't have an old man, then find a drunk, trade him for his. It showed that he was a handy Craftsman and wanted done what he wanted done no matter what it took.During training camp, Boone pairs black players with white players and instructs them to learn about each other. This idea is met with a lot of fighting, but black linebacker Julius Campbell and stubborn white All-American Gerry Bertier. It was difficult for the players to cope with the fact they had to play with and compete with ...
Remember the Titans is a film from 2000 displaying a true story of a racially divided football team from the 1970s. The movie highlights the relationships of the black and white people, and how they learned to interact with each other in a time when this was not the way of life. It brings up a number of questions throughout, of what is right and what is wrong, and really challenges the characters, making it a very interesting movie to watch. I have seen this movie many times, and each time I feel like I get something new out of it. It is a movie that can be used as a teaching tool, it does a great job of interpreting not only what was happening in the United States of America at that time, but social psychology concepts through real life situations.
Dealing with the issue of sport and ethnology, three major factors come to mind; prejudice, racism, and discrimination. These factors span across gender, ethnic, racial, religious, and cultural groups. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss how these factors have played a part in the evolution of sport in our society. The first issue tackled in this paper will be racism in sports, followed by prejudice and discrimination.