Martin Luther King Jr.'s Wife Boycotted This Acclaimed 1988 Movie

Mississippi Burning is one of the most well-known movies that purport to tell the story of the civil rights movement. However, its reputation isn’t all positive.

The 1988 movie, which was directed by Alan Parker, dramatised the 1964 murders of civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. It was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, but strangely, it centered white FBI agents, played by Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe, who investigated the disappearance of the three activists. 

While it was broadly a critical hit and racked up plenty of awards nominations, the film left a sour taste in the mouth of many people, least of all Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow, who boycotted the film. Here, we’ve broken down the controversy surrounding the movie and examined its complicated history.

‘Mississippi Burning’ And Its Controversy, Explained

The controversy at the heart of Mississippi Burning can be boiled down to one question. How much artistic license is acceptable when conveying a historical event? 

The murder is portrayed in a way that doesn’t match up with the actual historical details. As historian Robert Brent Toplin points out, James Chaney, the Black volunteer who was murdered, is the one who was driving the car, but in the film, there’s a white driver and Chaney is in the back. The movie also portrays the killing as happening during the stop, when, in reality, it occurred after the group were taken and subsequently released from the jail. 

Moreover, in terms of the FBI’s investigation of the murder, Toplin notes that the bureau were able to ‘break’ the case primarily due to the help of an informant who responded to the $30,000 reward. This differs from the movie, which suggests that the breakthrough was down to the wife of a deputy sheriff and others who responded to the FBI’s so-called “terror tactics.” In fact, the FBI didn’t do a lot in the South to protect Black people, with the historian adding that portraying the FBI as employing these tactics “stretches truth to the breaking point.” 

The movie also suggests that it was the FBI showing up that caused the “summer of arson, shootings and beatings,” when it was actually the arrival of college students that triggered this. The film, Toplin argues, also understates the role public opinion and media coverage had in driving the state to crack the case. 

Another concern was how passive Black characters appeared in the film and the general white saviour vibe. At the time, film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum described them as “noble, suffering icons without any depth or personality,” while Noah W. Griffin noted: “By centering on a fictionalised account of the actual FBI involvement in solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance of three civil rights workers, the film bypasses the Black role in the Mississippi Civil Rights struggle.” Similarly, Rita Kempley described it as “the right story with the wrong heroes.”

With all this taken into account, Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife, boycotted the film. At the time, she asked: "How long will we have to wait before Hollywood finds the courage and the integrity to tell the stories of some of the many thousands of Black men, women and children who put their lives on the line for equality?” 

As well as this, Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of one of the people murdered, backed the move, saying: “It was unfortunate that it was so narrow in scope that it did not show one Black role model that today's youth who look at the movie could remember.”

‘Mississippi Burning’ Still Won Awards

Despite the controversy surrounding Mississippi Burning, the film can be considered a success. While there were some notable dissenters that arguably drove the discourse, the film, despite its liberties with the facts, has been broadly well received over the years, with an overall score of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.

As well as this, the movie was nominated for four Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, and seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. While it only won one Oscar (Best Cinematography), it won three BAFTAs: Best Cinematography, Best Sound, and Best Editing. It didn’t win any Golden Globes. 

This dissonance between the number of nominations and actual wins at the Oscars especially is part of a troubling pattern, wherein the Academy always seem to fall short of acknowledging Black talent in particular. While it has slowly progressed in terms of recognising Black actors, Black filmmakers were sidelined then and, unfortunately, remain sidelined now. To this day, a Black director still has never won the Best Director award.

Other Movies About The Civil Rights Movement Told From Black POVs

If you’re after a civil rights movement movie that specifically highlights Black voices, we have some suggestions for you. 

First up, there’s Till. This 2022 movie is led by Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley, who fought for justice and became a pivotal part of the civil rights movement after her son, Emmett Till, was murdered. 

Secondly, there’s Selma, which features David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. It chronicles voter rights marches that happened in 1965 across Selma to Montgomery. Ava DuVernay directs this one, with the film earning a Best Picture nomination, and taking home the award for Best Original Song.

And finally, there’s Malcolm X, which stars Denzel Washington as the eponymous civil rights leader. Directed by the legendary Spike Lee, this film needs little introduction. Lee utilises all his flair and bombastic style to bring the story of the iconic activist to life, while Washington delivers an outstanding lead performance.