The 1988 film “Mississippi Burning,” directed by Alan Parker, is a crime thriller that explores the investigation into the disappearance of three civil rights workers in 1964. The film, starring Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, and Frances McDormand, is loosely based on the true story of the murders of three activists, which initiated the FBI investigation code-named “Mississippi Burning.”
While the film accurately depicts the racial tensions and injustices of the 1960s South, it takes creative liberties with certain details of the actual events. For instance, the names of the three murdered civil rights workers are not mentioned in the film, and the county is fictionalized as Jessup County instead of Neshoba County. The film also omits broader context about the “Freedom Summer” initiative, a three-month effort to register Black people from the South to vote.
The characters of FBI agents Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) and Alan Ward (Willem Dafoe) are based on real agents John Proctor and Joseph Sullivan. While the film portrays them with differing approaches, it may amplify the division for dramatic purposes. Additionally, the film includes scenes of racial injustices and Klan violence that, while not directly depicting real events, reflect the broader reality of the time.
The ending of “Mississippi Burning” differs from real-life events. In the film, the case is cracked with the help of the sheriff’s wife, leading to the arrest of seven Klansmen, with all but the sheriff receiving sentences. In reality, the investigation took nearly three years, involved relentless efforts to elicit admissions, and relied on the testimony of an informant. The actual legal outcomes included indictments for 18 suspects, with only seven found guilty, most receiving minor conspiracy charges.
One criticism of the film is its portrayal of a “white savior” trope, with limited focus on Black protagonists and the arrests happening after a white woman provides information. Civil rights leaders have criticized the film for ignoring the role of Black and white activists in the investigation.
Despite its creative liberties, “Mississippi Burning” sheds light on the horrifying realities of racial injustice and Klan violence during a dark period in American history. The film serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for civil rights and the complexities of depicting historical events in cinema.
