Civil and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer will be getting the biopic treatment, thanks to Common.
via: Revolt
Common is set to produce a biopic about the life of voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer.
The film, which is titled God’s Long Summer, will follow Hamer’s rise from the plantation sharecropping system in Mississippi where “she fought against the Southern political establishment, systemic racism and misogyny by exercising her right to vote and fighting for the rights of others. Labeled as plain-spoken and unfit to lead the movement, Hamer captivated the nation with her powerful voice, sheer will, and faith in her fight against leaders at the highest levels of state and federal government and within the Civil Rights Movement itself to help secure passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
God’s Long Summer will be written by Peter J. Meli. Waxylu Films and Dream Management and Entertainment, which holds the rights to Hamer’s life story, will assist with the project as well.
“Fannie Lou Hamer is a revolutionary figure we should all know,” said Common, who has previous producing credits on “The Chi” and Selma. “Her story and impact is evidence that Black History IS American History. We have all benefited from her work and dedication. I feel blessed to be working with this incredible group of producers to bring this story to the screen.”
Minister Vester Townsend Lobbins, Hamer’s cousin, and Charles McLaurin, a close friend of the late activist and field secretary for the Hamer-organized Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, will serve as story consultants for the film.
“It’s impossible to talk about voting rights in America and not include Mrs. Hamer. Her story will serve as a reminder of our long history of struggle to secure voter rights for all citizens in this country and add her powerful voice to the current struggle to pass new voting rights legislation,” said McLaurin.
I vote to put Danielle Brooks in the role
