Riding On The Freedom Train

By Sugar Johnson

Photo Credit: Newsday Ari-Mintz

It was an outing with the students at Upward Bound BMCC, and since I hadn’t read any reviews, I thought it was going to be a 90 minute battle with my attention span…totally incorrect. “Thurgood” is a moving, breathing, living piece of art set in a rocking chair on grandaddy’s porch with unlimited sweet tea and lemonade refills from gramma. Laurence Fishburne brilliantly channels the mannerisms, wit and outspoken nature of the late Civil Rights leader Thurgood Marshall. While dazzling the audience  side splitting satire, Fishburne secretly guided us through an exhibit on personal freedom.

The show started with anecdotes of Thurgood’s ancestry and concluded with a quote from Langston Hughes. Fishburne told the stories like he was in the kitchen as food was prepared at the Marshall household. The show’s message, overtly and covertly, seemed to be about making your own difference for a better quality of life. At the final bow, Mr. Fishburne tipped his proverbial hat to us. We tip our hat to you, sir, for resurrecting an agent of change and having him commune with us for a few minutes. And thank you Ms. McKain for the opportunity to experience this with the students.{/column2}

Related posts:

1. Ask Ed & Sugar: Hennessy Pimps Obama Bottle