The Great Debaters, which opens Christmas Day, is based on the story of the 1930 Wiley college debate team headed by Melvin T. Tolson. They participated in the first collegiate interracial debate in the United States. The last surviving member of the debate team, Henrietta Bell Wells, lives in Houston, Tx.
The 95 year old Wells said of her experience on the team: “I just thought I was living my life. I don’t think we thought we were doing any great job. We were in the debate team for fun, just doing our best.” Wells has had the film privately screen in her room and Jurnee Smollett, who plays her in the film, has come to Houston several times to visit. The film stars Denzel Washington.
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