The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks, a new documentary film by Peacock that will examine the life of one of America's most renowned and misunderstood advocates, has just published its trailer. Based on a biography by Jeanne Theoharis, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks is executive produced by award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien. On October 19, 2022, Peacock will broadcast the new documentary's world debut.
The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks is not merely another account of the well-known bus boycott by Rosa Parks. The purpose of the movie is to provide a closer look at one of the 20th century's most influential and active civil rights advocates. In part to provide a more complete portrait of Parks than what is presented in school, the new movie will cover the full range of her accomplishments. The movie will thoroughly examine the breadth of her decades-long career and the nuanced aspects of her character rather than concentrating on one particular achievement.
The new video reveals a different aspect of Rosa Parks and makes it apparent that it wants to demystify a figure whose reputation has been cleaned up by repeated tellings of a single act of protest by Parks over the years. The teaser demonstrates how amazing Parks was and how, in contrast to the aforementioned demonstration, her devotion to racial justice was a lifelong pursuit.
The film is directed by Yoruba Richen and Johanna Hamilton, who combine emotional and intricate portraits of one amazing woman with interviews with academics and activists like Bryan Stevenson, Patrisse Cullors, and Ericka Huggins, as well as personal experiences from Parks' family.
"[T]he Rosa Parks of American history — the calm, demure, and exhausted seamstress taking a seat on the bus — is simply a myth," O'Brien said of the new movie. The Rosa Parks we learn about in this movie is the genuine one—a lifetime activist, outspoken tactician, and freedom fighter. "[M]y aim is that this documentary, along with [Jeanne Theoharis'] amazing book and the free teacher curriculum she has developed with Zinn Educational Project, serves to clarify Rosa Parks' legacy and lead to a greater appreciation of her place in history," she concluded.
In response to state laws that limit how race and history are taught in schools, the Zinn Education Project was created. The project is dispersing more than 16,000 copies of The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks for young readers as part of its purpose, thanks to Lush Cosmetics and a grant from the Ford Foundation/Soledad O'Brien Productions.
The movie's trailer is available to view below. On October 19 on Peacock, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks will be broadcast.
