Selma Will Be Gifted To Every High School In America (News)

After the news that Paramount Home Movie Distribution started an education program to let high school students see the movie for free while in theaters, the production company has now announced that they will be releasing the award-winning Civil Rights film Selma to every high school in the nation. The news was reported today (April 27). The movie itself is a true story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other revolutionaries like James Bevel, Hosea Williams and John Lewis who took the walk to fight against violent opposition for African American voting rights. The film and real-life inspiration have now been cemented in music when Common and John Legend wrote their single “Glory,” subsequently taking home the Oscar for “Best Original Song” at the Academy Awards in February.

The film depicts the trials and tribulations that the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Community (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) went through to get former President Lyndon B. Johnson to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The release of the film to all high school classes will reach a reported 18 million students across the country.

Selma exemplifies the ongoing fight for voting rights that are still being pushed for today. In a press release, director Ava DuVernay stated, “To think that this triumphant story of dignity and justice will be available to every high school in this country is a realization of many dreams and many hopes.”

Spotted: OKP

Related: Common & John Legend Win an Oscar and Deliver Stirring Words of Change