Overview:
The Great Debaters is more than a film about a debate team—it’s a narrative of resilience, intellect, and the moral imperative to confront injustice. Set in 1935 in Jim Crow-era Texas, the film offers a powerful platform to explore the intersection of rhetoric, history, and civic action. Through the lens of the Wiley College debate team, students examine how young African Americans used the power of argument to challenge deeply entrenched systems of racial injustice. As our current world continues to confront polarization, misinformation, and systemic inequities, learning the art of debate becomes not just academically enriching, but culturally and politically necessary.
This lesson plan integrates the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) to empower students to generate, prioritize, and reflect upon their own inquiries—modeling the very process of intellectual self-determination the film champions.
Essential Questions:
- How does learning the art of debate prepare students for active, informed participation in democracy?
- In what ways do historical narratives, like those in The Great Debaters, help us understand ongoing struggles for justice and equity?
- How do recent political events echo the themes and conflicts portrayed in the film?
Objectives:
Students will:
- Analyze The Great Debaters in its historical context, including the legacy of Jim Crow laws, the Great Depression, and racial violence.
- Engage with the foundational skills of debate: forming arguments, using evidence, and understanding opposing viewpoints.
- Reflect on recent political and civic events—such as protests for racial justice, debates over voting rights, and free speech on college campuses, and how they connect to themes in the film.
Pre-Viewing Activities:
1. Establish a Question Focus is the prompt or statement students respond to with questions. It should be open-ended, thought-provoking, and thematically linked to both the film and your instructional goals.
- “Debate is a weapon of the powerless.”
- “The right to question is the foundation of democracy.”
- “When the law is unjust, what is our duty?”
- “What does it mean to fight with words rather than fists?”
2. Introduce Key Contextual Topics: Before watching, provide mini-lessons or inquiry starters on:
- The Jim Crow South and racial segregation
- The significance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- The Great Depression’s effect on African American communities
- Lynching and racial terror in 1930s America
- The structure and traditions of academic debate
3. Use the QFT Protocol:
- a. Produce Your Questions
Students, in groups of 3-4, generate as many questions as possible based on the QFocus. Remind them not to judge or answer questions during this phase. - b. Improve Your Questions
Students categorize questions as open- or closed-ended and practice rephrasing to convert between types. - c. Prioritize Questions
Each group selects their top three questions. They must justify their choices—Why these? What do they reveal? How might they guide discussion or research?
Pre-Viewing Activity:
Before watching the full movie, introduce the final debate scene to spark interest and provide a concrete example of effective debate techniques.
Discussion Questions:
- What rhetorical strategies do the debaters use?
- How do the debaters address issues of justice and morality?
- What emotions are evoked during the debate, and how are they achieved?
Encourage students to note their observations, which will serve as a foundation for deeper analysis after viewing the entire film.
Post-Viewing Activity:
After watching The Great Debaters, revisit the final debate scene.
Analytical Exercise:
- Break down the arguments presented by each side.
- Identify the use of ethos, pathos, and logos.
- Discuss how the historical context influences the content and delivery of the debate.
Viewing the Film:
As students watch the film, encourage them to keep their top questions in mind. Ask them to take notes on:
- Specific scenes that connect to their questions
- Quotes or moments that evoke a strong reaction
- Examples of rhetorical strategies used in debate scenes
Post-Viewing Activities:
1. Debrief Discussion: Prompt students with the following:
- Did the film answer any of your top questions? If so, how?
- How did the characters use debate to navigate power and injustice?
- What parallels can you draw between 1930s America and today?
2. Connect to Current Events: Facilitate discussion or a short research task where students examine recent events where debate, rhetoric, or protest played a central role. Possible topics:
- Student activism and free speech on campuses
- Public debates over CRT (Critical Race Theory) in education
- Voting rights legislation and Supreme Court decisions
- Youth-led movements like March for Our Lives or Sunrise Movement
Ask: How would the characters in the film respond to these issues? How would they construct an argument today?
3. Writing Assignment: Use one or more of the student-generated questions as a prompt for a blog post, reflective journal, or opinion piece. Encourage students to include:
- Historical analysis (from the film or supplemental research)
- Personal response
- Connection to contemporary political or social issues
Key Quotes for Reflection and Discussion:
- “Now is always the right time to do the right thing.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., quoted in the film
- “We do what we got to do, so we can do what we want to do.” – James Farmer Sr.
- “An unjust law is no law at all.” – St. Augustine, used in a pivotal debate scene
Extensions for Further Study:
- Research the real Wiley College debate team and its coach Melvin B. Tolson.
- Study the philosophy and activism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and compare his use of rhetoric with that of the characters in the film.
- Explore contemporary high school and college debate leagues, especially those that amplify voices from underrepresented communities.
Closing Reflection:
Ask students to write a brief response to this prompt:
“What power does debate have in your own life—as a student, a citizen, and a thinker? What responsibility comes with that power?”