With moments that made viewers laugh and breathless, Tell Them We Are Rising combined these elements into a well told story about Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
A Morgan State University audience was treated Friday to a preview screening of Tell Them We Are Rising, which will air nationwide on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018 at 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EST.
When the credits rolled at the end, many in the audience gave the movie a standing ovation. The audience members interviewed had positive remarks and praise for director Stanley Nelson.
“The film was great. A lot of it was stuff I didn’t know about,” said Michelle Smith of Baltimore. “Really a lot of good information and why black students should attend HBCUs.”
“I didn’t know very much about the incident at Southern University. That was enlightening to me,” said Sydney Garner, a 1978 Morgan State University alumna. “Everyone can take something away from this film.”
In regards to this quote, at least two students were shot and killed on the Louisiana campus by authorities during a protest. Before the screening, most HBCU watchers were familiar with deadly student-armed authority incidents at Jackson State and South Carolina State universities
BreAnna Holmes, the social media assistant for the film, said after seeing the film multiple times, she still takes new things away from the film each time: “I still enjoy it and still learning more each time I view the film. This film really made us learn, laugh, and feel sad and inspired. Gives us pride and to know what our ancestors have been through.”
“I didn’t know they killed whites for helping black individuals learn how to read,” said Gerald Collick. The senior, multiplatform production student at Morgan State added, “My biggest takeaway was the way the director and editor put the film together, the testimonies. It was comical and they told the truth.”
Baltimore resident Smith said this film is not just for HBCU’s and should be mandatory in schools and universities around America because it can shed light and bring understanding to people who are unfamiliar with HBCUs: “PWIs (Predominately White Institutions) especially should watch it, not because they should feel guilty, but so they can understand.”
“I recommend this film to all universities, libraries, all the channels and YouTube and purchase it went it comes out,” said Collick. “Teach your young children about it. This is an eye opener.”
Said Holmes, “Absolutely everyone should watch this. You come away with lots of understanding, you know what our ancestors have been through just to get education,” Holmes added.
