Meet Mary Pleasant, Mother of Civil Rights in California
Description
MEET MARY PLEASANT is a one-hour unique ‘performance documentary,’ a colorful look at the unsung and daring 19th-century African-American activist/entrepreneur Mary Ellen Pleasant, now called ‘The Mother of Civil Rights in CA.’ Pleasant was a 19th-century Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks combined, and she changed modern day civil rights law. This colorful film interweaves an acclaimed one-woman enactment with beautiful photo montages and expert commentary… More >>
Meet Mary Pleasant, Mother of Civil Pleasant, a documentary on the life of Mary Ellen Pleasant is an outstanding production. Susheel Bibbs has meticulously stitched together the many fragments of Pleasant’s history into a tapestry the makes it easy for the scholar or layman to understand this woman of mystery. Easy viewing and dramatic presentation.
Rating: 3 / 5
A riveting piece of little-known history, this film depicts the life of a complex and fascinating woman who quietly and efficiently changed the future of minorities in California while building her own fortune.
I’d like to have had more information about Ms. Pleasant before viewing this–particularly in the area of her history with the John Brown of Harper’s Ferry fame to add some context to the story. But this film history shows me there are and have been people of conviction, constrained by their culture, but not stopped by it.
This film is about a heroine and a villain in the same person. She had a palpable dark side, depicted well in this documentary. This is a story of love, passion, ambition, social justice, manipulation, and sex. The film depicts a historical figure who was entirely human and entirely multi-faceted. I enjoyed it very much as a true story and as a story of an icon of civil liberties with feet of clay. It opened a significant piece of history for me.
Rating: 3 / 5
The artistic merges well with historical facts with the compelling performance of Susheel Bibbs. The quality of the production as well as how one is invited to embrace fascinating aspects of Mary Pleasants life leaves one longing for more.Since Pleasants life spanned parts of 19th and 20th Centuries, one is left amazed as to how one person could adapt,change and conquer against incredible odds. Civil Rights in America has been hard fought from generation to generation by sacrifice and blood. We all stand on the shoulders of those before us, and the performance of Susheel as Mary Pleasants clearly demonstrates the heroic qualities that helped forged the character of our nation. For those that enjoy theatre,music, and history one will be hard pressed to find a well written and performed historical enactment as Meet Mary Pleasant. I strongly urge the purchase and viewing of the DVD. Also, it will make a priceless archive for all collectors for generations to come.
Rating: 5 / 5
“Meet Mary Pleasant” by Dr. Susheel Bibbs is a tour-de-force of documentary filmmaking. It is not only a well-researched exposé on a forgotten foremother of California history, but it a wonderfully creative use of a Bibb’s own staged production, acting the part of the famous Mother of Civil Rights in California. The creative weaving of performance and documentary footage with expert testimony is nothing short of brilliant.
Rating: 5 / 5
Susheel Bibbs has created and filmed a documentary that is most entertaining. Prior to purchasing the DVD, I did know who Mary Pleasant was… at least I thought I did. What made this film most enjoyable was learning new things about Miss Mary Pleasant. The visuals, the way Ms. Bibbs tells the story of this remarkable and interesting woman was quite compelling. The film moves along with not one dull moment. I am captured, learning about this woman who is way before her time and involved in such business transactions we are led to believe women were not involved in and definitely not Black women. I encourage you to watch this wonderful film, while learning about a very interesting and dynamic woman.
Rating: 5 / 5