17 Riveting Scenes from Films & TV Shows That Will Make You Think Deeply About Race, Class and P
Communities across the country are in grief, pain, and shock at the latest rash of shootings in Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas. We’re feeling it, too. Sometimes it’s hard to put into words what we feel when a tragedy happens. So, we’re using these powerful scenes from movies and TV shows to do it for us, in no particular order.
1. Higher Learning (1995)
Director/Writer: John Singleton
Actors in the scene: Laurence Fishburne, Omar Epps, Ice Cube
2. Glory (1988)
Director: Edward Zwick
Writer: Kevin Jarre (screenplay); Lincoln Kirstein and Peter Burchard (book); Robert Gould Shaw (letters)
Actors in the scene: Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Andre Braugher
3. Mississippi Burning (1988)
Director: Alan Parker
Writer: Chris Gerolmo
Actors in the scene: Frances Dormand, Gene Hackman
4. Boyz 'n the Hood (1991)
Director/Writer: John Singleton
Actors in the scene: Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Morris Chestnut
5. Do the Right Thing (1988)
Director/Writer: Spike Lee
Actors in the scene: Bill Nunn, Spike Lee
6. Coach Carter (2005)
Director: Thomas Carter
Writers: Mark Schwahn, John Gatins
Actors in the scene: Samuel L. Jackson and ensemble cast
7. John Q (2002)
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Writer: James Kearns
Actors in scene: Denzel Washington and Daniel E. Smith
8. Higher Learning (1995)
Director/Writer: John Singleton
Actors in the scene: Laurence Fishburne and ensemble cast
9. The Wire (HBO)
“The Target” (June 2, 2002, Season 1, Episode 1)
Writer: David Simon
Actors in the scene: Dominic West, Kamal Bostic-Smith
10. Malcolm X (1992)
Director/Writer: Spike Lee
Actors in the scene: Denzel Washington and ensemble cast
11. The Matrix (1999)
Director/Writer: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
Actors in the scene: Laurence Fishburne, Keanu Reeves
12. Sanford & Son (1974)
“Legal Eagle" (January 11, 1974, Season 3, Episode 15)
Writers: Gene Farmer, Paul Mooney (story)
Actors in the scene: Redd Foxx, Arthur Adams
13. Selma (2014)
Director: Ava DuVernay
Writer: Paul Webb
Actors in scene: David Oweloyo and ensemble cast
14. Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Writers: Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff
Actors in scene: Paul Giamatti, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Corey Hawkins, and ensemble cast
15. The Wire (HBO)
“The Hunt" (August 18, 2002, Season 1, Episode 11)
Writer: David Simon, Joy Kecken
Actors in the scene: Dominic West, Deirdre Lovejoy, Michael Kostroff
16. All in the Family (1974)
“Lionel’s Engagement” (February 9, 1974, Season 4, Episode 20)
Writers: Norman Lear, Michael Ross, Bernie West
Actors in the scene: Carroll O'Connor, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Jean Stapleton and ensemble cast
17. Boyz 'n the Hood (1991)
Director/Writer: John Singleton
Actors in scene: Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding, Jr.
