The Blinding of Isaac Woodard (2021)

The event that opened the eyes of a nation.

The Blinding of Isaac Woodard (2021) poster

In 1946, Isaac Woodard, a Black army sergeant on his way home to South Carolina after serving in WWII, was pulled from a bus for arguing with the driver. The local chief of police savagely beat him, leaving him unconscious and permanently blind. The shocking incident made national headlines and, when the police chief was acquitted by an all-white jury, the blatant injustice would change the course of American history. Based on Richard Gergel’s book Unexampled Courage, the film details how the crime led to the racial awakening of President Harry Truman, who desegregated federal offices and the military two years later. The event also ultimately set the stage for the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, which finally outlawed segregation in public schools and jumpstarted the modern civil rights movement.

Director: Jamila Ephron
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 112 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Joel Goodman
Cinematography: Stephen McCarthy
Editing: Nancy Novack
Production: Ark Media, GBH
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Original Language: en

Keywords

police brutality, racism, black lives matter, police violence

Trailer

The Blinding of Isaac Woodard Trailer
More Films by Director: Jamila Ephron
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Blinding of Isaac Woodard about?
In 1946, Isaac Woodard, a Black army sergeant on his way home to South Carolina after serving in WWII, was pulled from a bus for arguing with the driver. The local chief of police savagely beat him, leaving him unconscious and permanently blind. The shocking incident made national headlines and, when the police chief was acquitted by an all-white jury, the blatant injustice would change the course of American history. Based on Richard Gergel’s book Unexampled Courage, the film details how the crime led to the racial awakening of President Harry Truman, who desegregated federal offices and the military two years later. The event also ultimately set the stage for the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, which finally outlawed segregation in public schools and jumpstarted the modern civil rights movement.
Who directed The Blinding of Isaac Woodard?
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard was directed by Jamila Ephron.
Who stars in The Blinding of Isaac Woodard?
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard stars André Holland, Leland Gantt, Kenneth Mack, Sherrilyn Ifill, Rawn James, Richard Gergel.
How long is The Blinding of Isaac Woodard?
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard has a runtime of 1h 52m (112 minutes).
What genre is The Blinding of Isaac Woodard?
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard is a Documentary film.
Where was The Blinding of Isaac Woodard produced?
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard was produced in United States of America.