The Vernon Johns Story (1994) (TV)

Director:

Kenneth Fink

Writers (WGA):

Leslie Lee (story) and
Kevin Arkadie (story) ...

Release Date:

15 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Church | Minister | Loss Of Child | 1950s | African American

Cast

James Earl Jones	...	Vernon Johns
Mary Alice	...	Altona
Joe Seneca	...	Deacon Wilkes
Tommy Hollis	...	Coach Hill
Nicole Leach	...	Baby Dee
Ashanti Nailah Blaize	...	Enid
Lashayla Logan	...	Jeanne
Clifton James	...	Judge Blake
Shelby Ware	...	Janet Whitcomb
Cissy Houston	...	Rose
Moses Gibson	...	Deacon Henderson
Billie Allen	...	Ida Rawlins
Michael Howell	...	Reverend Abernathy
Justin Young	...	White Teenager
Garland Bunting	...	Counterman

Also Known As:

Freedom Road: The Vernon Johns Story (UK)
The Road to Freedom: The Vernon Johns Story (USA)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:PG

Company:

Laurel Entertainment Inc.

Movie Connections:

Features The Dentist (1932)

cool

This is must see for those who are unfamiliar with heroes of the Civil Rights Movement prior to Brown v. the Board of Education and Martin Luther King, Jr. James Earl Jones powerfully portrays a man with all of the courage of Martin Luther King, Jr., but with a more blunt and direct approach. The film masterfully shows how a leader like Dr. King and those who worked with him would have not been as effective had it not been for leaders like Dr. Johns, who were willing to "push the envelope". I teach Social Studies at Southern Nash High School in Bailey, North Carolina and I use this film regularly in class and get the best response to it of any of the films I show. In a film career that has featured numerous brilliant performances by Mr. Jones, I believe that this is his best work. The supporting cast of veteran actors Mary Alice, the late Joe Seneca, and a newcomer at the time, Nicole Leach, is top notch and they play effectively off of Jones.