Simple Justice 

The story of Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP's effort to integrate public schools in the south, Simple Justice, based closely on Richard Kluger's book of the same name, recounts the ... See full summary »

Director:

Helaine Head

Writers:

Richard Kluger (nonfiction book "Simple Justice"), John McGreevey (story)

Stars:

Michael Burgess, Peter Francis James, Donald Chambers

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Burgess	...	Horace Durham
Peter Francis James	...	Thurgood Marshall
Donald Chambers	...	Archer Felder
Scott Whitehurst	...	Oliver Hill
James Avery	...	Charles Hamilton Houston
Denise Burse	...	Buster Marshall (as Denise Burse-Mickelbury)
Wayne Dehart	...	Rev Rovey
Dale Wright	...	Mrs. Moody
Cleveland Troy Simmons III	...	Small Boy
Ralph Wilcox	...	Townsend
Donald Johnson Sr.	...	Poore
Terence Alexander	...	Walter White (as Terry Alexander)
General Fermon Judd Jr.	...	Donald Murray
Bob Burchette	...	Roger Howell
Marilyn M. Matheus	...	Henrietta Houston

Storyline

The story of Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP's effort to integrate public schools in the south, Simple Justice, based closely on Richard Kluger's book of the same name, recounts the remarkable legal strategy and social struggle that resulted in the US Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The Court's decision not only struck down segregated schools on the basis of race, but announced finally that America had begun to face the consequences of its dehumanizing social practice. In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that racial segregation along "separate but equal" terms was constitutional. Thirty years later, Charles Hamilton Houston took over Howard University's run-down segregated law school with the idea of training a cadre of elite African American lawyers who would wipe out the legal basis for segregation once and for all. Houston shaped the minds and the strategy that would triumph over segregation, but he wouldn't live to ...

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Plot Keywords:

supreme court | brown v board of education | civil rights | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 1993 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Burgaw, North Carolina, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

WGBH

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

A turning point in American History

It sounds to me like the last speech the actor playing Marshall gives to the court is dubbed by Morgan Freeman.

All in all the movie well portrayed the courageous decision the court made regarding the most important issue. While there were turbulent reactions to this ruling that continue to this very day, we in America can heart that we were able to resolve this in a court in a civilized way rather than by war and death. Still, fifty years later we have a way to go to really achieve equality and also realize the most important truth from this film: The one most important function of state and local government is to educate the children.