“Oscar^® and Grammy^® Award winner Common to produce Fannie Lou Hamer biopic GOD’S LONG SUMMER bringing the life of the famed civil and voting rights activist to the screen. Common will produce with Waxylu Films and Dream Management and Entertainment, LLC. which holds the rights to Hamer’s life story along with Triumph, Inc.

Based on the true story of civil and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer who rises from the depths of the oppressive plantation sharecropping system in 1962 Mississippi at 44 years of age to fight 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.

GOD’S LONG SUMMER is produced by Dream Management and Entertainment, LLC. (César Chávez, Journey to Darfur) and Waxylu Films, based on a script by Peter J. Meli. Producers are Common (Selma, The Chi, Suicide Squad), Marie Cisco (The United States vs Billie Holiday), Jennifer Madeloff and Jeff Waxman (Concrete Cowboy, Don’t Look Up, Snake Eyes) of Waxylu Films, Jay Speights, D. Min of Triumph, Inc. and Jackie Bazan (Marketing and Publicity Consultant for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, One Night in Miami, The Good Lord Bird) of Bazan Entertainment.”

I am really looking forward to this. Too often women (especially women) get sidelined and pushed to the margins of history, even when they play major roles in social and political movements. The Civil Rights movement is no exception, she its long overdue and much needed that Hamer’s story is being brought to the big screen! The fact that most people have no idea who she is (especially Black folks) is a travesty…and it will finally be rectified…hopefully! I’m definitely looking forward to this one when it’s released.

– LV’s musings

Stay tuned…