I came across a Feb. 12, 2017 interview posted on AwardsDaily.com wherein Australian cinematographer Mandy Walker for the movie “Hidden Figures” discussed the scene where the character Dorothy (played by Octavia Spencer) leads the other Black women down the hall. Where did the idea for that scene come from?
Walker says, “That was a really important scene in the movie and we planned it early on. We had a few photographs to use as stylistic references. That shot of Dorothy coming down the hall leading the women came from a Gordon Parks photograph of nuns, and there was one nun leading the rest of the nuns, and you see the layers of shots behind her. That was a shot we reproduced, and we didn’t often do direct references. I thought it was quite powerful to see her leading those women, and the music and sound helps — their heels on the floor and they go from one area to another.”
Those are not nuns captured by Gordon Parks, those are Nation of Islam sisters of the M.G.T. and G.C.C. Class. In the foreground is Captain Ethel Sharrieff, daughter of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
After seeing the movie back in January, Celeste Smith posted this on Facebook: “Yesterday I went to see Hidden Figures. It was nothing short of awesome. I was invited to go with a group of Black Women Super Heroes who live in New York and facilitate change in their own way. Some are in the forefront of organizations and some move invisibly disrupting shit! I am honored to have sat with them to view this piece. There is a scene in the movie that when I saw it reminded meof this picture below that I juxtaposed it with of the MGT (Capt. Ethel Sharieff at the point). There are so many people who work in the upliftment of our people who you may or may not know. History erases, bastardizes and straight up lies on women. But, it can’t happen if we don’t allow it. There are so many sisters who helped to build what we cherish and who we are. It just made me think of how we have to embrace our elders, ancestors, and each other. I’m so proud of the work of the women highlighted in this film and the sisters in this picture. Proud to be part of their spiritual lineage.”
We thank Allah for The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad for all He has done in producing righteous women who represent high civilization. And we thank Allah for His National Representative, The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, for continuing to do the same for decades. What they have done for the reformation of women is not reel, it’s REAL! You know a tree by the Fruit it bears! Allah-U-Akbar!!!
I posted this on my Facebook page and it generated alot of conversation. Check it out below.
