Ten thousand Shelby County Schools students will be able to see the new Martin Luther King Jr. biopic “Selma” for free at select Malco movie theaters.
The move was announced by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. Thursday in a news conference at Memphis City Hall. The program is available to students in grades 7, 8, and 9 who must present a recent report card.
Wharton said while many might not think the news was a “big deal” but said the movie was important to see and that a “price of a movie ticket is a budget-buster for far too many people in Memphis.” majestic,
Similar programs are underway in Nashville, New York City, Miami, and other cities.
“We felt it incumbent on us, here in the city of Memphis where Dr. King gave his life, (to offer the program),” Wharton said. “There was no way in the world that we could fail to go that extra mile to make sure we made this available to as many children as possible.”
The money for the program came from private donors and two foundations, according to those who organized the initiative. If the funds for the program run dry, Wharton said more would be found.
