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Ethics and Film: Messages, Themes, and Techniques Module 3: Mississippi Burning by Magaret Haun, PhD Background Alan Parker's Mississippi Burning is an important film because it is rooted in the history of the Civil Rights era and the history of American cinema. On one level, it is a faithful account of the effort to bring the murderers of three young Civil Rights workers in 1964 to justice. Michael Schwerner, Andy Goodman, and James Chaney came to Neshoba County, Mississippi to register blacks to vote and to investigate the burning of a Black church. Harassed, arrested and then released by the Neshoba sheriff, the three were hunted down one evening in June 1964 and murdered by Neshoba KKK members. In 1967, only seven of the original nineteen conspirators were convicted on federal conspiracy charges. It was not until 2005--38 years after the crime-- that Edgar Ray Killen, 80, would be convicted on three charges of murder. The roots of this story, then, are firmly planted in the soil of this country's Civil Rights history. Mississippi Burning is tied to the history of American film as well. Parker chose to dramatize the events of 1964 using a familiar film structure-that of the Hollywood Western (Howe). The good guys (FBI agents) wear standard issue black suits; the bad guys are "good ol' boys" who wear white hoods; Neshoba becomes a frontier town; lynchings replace gunfights; and the love interest of one of the heroes (Frances McDormand) is immediately worthy of being saved. The elements of the genre of are all there but they do not eclipse the historical significance of this great film. Teaching Suggestion: We do not recommend teaching Mississippi Burning apart from the events it recounts. Readings and discussions about the Civil Rights era should precede viewing the film. Newspaper and magazine articles on the deaths of the three activists and the fire-bombings of Black churches have been digitized and are available online. We have included the University of Missouri School of Law website in our List of Works Consulted. It is perhaps the most comprehensive online site for information on the victims, their activities and chronology, the Neshoba County conspirators and KKK activities, and reviews of the film. "Googling" the victims' names will generate hundreds of hits. The Internet Movie Database is an excellent source for information about the film, but its historical references are scant. While it is possible to find elements in the structure of MB that tie it to the genre of the film Western, we do not recommend spending class time on these connections. Imagine reading Anne Frank's Diary with your students and spending the bulk of your time discussing its connection to the history of journal writing. The importance of the book is its insight into the life and mind of a girl swept up in the maelstrom of horrific events. Similarly, the significance of Mississippi Burning for high school students in the 21st century lies in its connection to history, not in the technical decisions of its director.

Ethics and Film: Messages, Themes, and Techniques Module 3: Mississippi Burning

by Magaret Haun, PhD

Background

Alan Parker's Mississippi Burning is an important film because it is rooted in the history of the Civil Rights era and the history of American cinema. On one level, it is a faithful account of the effort to bring the murderers of three young Civil Rights workers in 1964 to justice. Michael Schwerner, Andy Goodman, and James Chaney came to Neshoba County, Mississippi to register blacks to vote and to investigate the burning of a Black church. Harassed, arrested and then released by the Neshoba sheriff, the three were hunted down one evening in June 1964 and murdered by Neshoba KKK members. In 1967, only seven of the original nineteen conspirators were convicted on federal conspiracy charges. It was not until 2005--38 years after the crime-- that Edgar Ray Killen, 80, would be convicted on three charges of murder. The roots of this story, then, are firmly planted in the soil of this country's Civil Rights history.

Mississippi Burning is tied to the history of American film as well. Parker chose to dramatize the events of 1964 using a familiar film structure-that of the Hollywood Western (Howe). The good guys (FBI agents) wear standard issue black suits; the bad guys are "good ol' boys" who wear white hoods; Neshoba becomes a frontier town; lynchings replace gunfights; and the love interest of one of the heroes (Frances McDormand) is immediately worthy of being saved. The elements of the genre of are all there but they do not eclipse the historical significance of this great film.

Teaching Suggestion: We do not recommend teaching Mississippi Burning apart from the events it recounts. Readings and discussions about the Civil Rights era should precede viewing the film. Newspaper and magazine articles on the deaths of the three activists and the fire-bombings of Black churches have been digitized and are available online. We have included the University of Missouri School of Law website in our List of Works Consulted. It is perhaps the most comprehensive online site for information on the victims, their activities and chronology, the Neshoba County conspirators and KKK activities, and reviews of the film. "Googling" the victims' names will generate hundreds of hits. The Internet Movie Database is an excellent source for information about the film, but its historical references are scant. While it is possible to find elements in the structure of MB that tie it to the genre of the film Western, we do not recommend spending class time on these connections. Imagine reading Anne Frank's Diary with your students and spending the bulk of your time discussing its connection to the history of journal writing. The importance of the book is its insight into the life and mind of a girl swept up in the maelstrom of horrific events. Similarly, the significance of Mississippi Burning for high school students in the 21st century lies in its connection to history, not in the technical decisions of its director.