Prudence Crandall establishes herself in Cantenbury, and starts a girls-school. When Eliza Harris, a black girl, wants to take lessons at this school, the local people resist and forbid their daughters to go to the school any longer. William Lloyd Garrison, writer of The Liberator, helps Prudence to turn her school to a black girls-school.
Acting
Mare Winningham's stubborn, trembling resolve.
Writing
Refuses to make Prudence a saint—she's scared and does it anyway.
Director
Jack Gold
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was based on real events: Prudence Crandall's school in Canterbury, Connecticut actually existed and is now a museum. She was arrested under the 'Black Law' of 1833.
The film aired on NBC in 1991, part of a brief wave of prestige TV movies about obscured American history—most forgotten, this one nearly was too.
US
