More than 75 students attended the screening of Selma at the Bill Cosford Cinema Thursday night, marking the end of Martin Luther King Jr. week at the University of Miami.
A line of students flowed into the theater around 9 p.m. One of those students was sophomore Jasia Dickerson, who said she was excited to see a film that she had heard was an accurate representation of history.
“Its part of our history — everyone’s history,” Dickerson said. “It’s important for UM students to understand that to help diversify our campus.”
Selma was shown with the help of Hurricane Productions, United Black Students, and the Cinematic Arts Commission to commemorate the life of King. The Oscar-winning film follows the journey of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights march organized by King. The march led the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to pass legislation that secured voting rights for black Americans.
Throughout the screening, students were moved to tears by the graphic scenes in the film of activists being beaten by police for attempting to obtain basic rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Sophomore Kacey James said although it was her second time watching Selma, the film was just as powerful the second time. She also said that one of the most special components of the screening was the diverse group of students who attended.
“It’s such a powerful message. It was such a powerful movement,” James said. “Its nice to see all the students of different races — not just African Americans — come out and view the movie.”
Feature photo courtesy Flickr user Σταύρος.