Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

1999
1h 40min

Tells the story of Sadie and Bessie Delany, two African-American (they preferred "colored") sisters who both lived past the age of 100. They grew up on a North Carolina college campus, the daughters of the first African-American Episcopal bishop, who was born a slave, and a woman with an inter-racial background. With the support of each other and their family, they survived encounters with racism and sexism in their own different ways. Sadie quietly and sweetly broke barriers to become the first African-American home-ec teacher in New York City, while Bessie, with her own brand of outspokenness, became the second African-American dentist in New York City. At the ages of 103 and 101, they told their story to Amy Hill Hearth, a white New York Times reporter who published an article about them. The overwhelming response launched a bestselling book, a Broadway play, and this film.

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Storyline

Tells the story of Sadie and Bessie Delany, two African-American (they preferred "colored") sisters who both lived past the age of 100. They grew up on a North Carolina college campus, the daughters of the first African-American Episcopal bishop, who was born a slave, and a woman with an inter-racial background. With the support of each other and their family, they survived encounters with racism and sexism in their own different ways. Sadie quietly and sweetly broke barriers to become the first African-American home-ec teacher in New York City, while Bessie, with her own brand of outspokenness, became the second African-American dentist in New York City. At the ages of 103 and 101, they told their story to Amy Hill Hearth, a white New York Times reporter who published an article about them. The overwhelming response launched a bestselling book, a Broadway play, and this film.
Cast
Diahann Carroll
Diahann Carroll
Sadie Delany
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
Amy Madigan
Amy Madigan
Amy Hill Hearth
Lisa Arrindell
Lisa Arrindell
Sadie in her 20s
Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald
Bessie in her 20s
Mykelti Williamson
Mykelti Williamson
Papa Delany
Lonette McKee
Lonette McKee
Mama Delany
Richard Roundtree
Richard Roundtree
Booker T. Washington
Della Reese
Della Reese
Martha Logan
Ahmond
Henry Delany
Cameron Arnett
Cameron Arnett
Lemuel
Nate Bynum
Nate Bynum
Acting
Thomas Clark
Lucious
Sharlease Collier
Churchgoer
Brandon Crawford
Bag Boy
Cordereau Dye
Hubert Thomas Delany
Annie-Joe Edwards
New Tenant
Carter Gaston
Manross Delany
Micki Grant
Actress playing Sadie on Broadway
Kiara Harris
Sadie age 7
April Jones
Harriet
Rebecca Koon
Rebecca Koon
Miss Moseley
Patty Mack
Mildred
Lizan Mitchell
Lizan Mitchell
Actress playing Bessie on Broadway
Terry Nienhuis
Mr. Milliam
Clifton Powell
Clifton Powell
Frazier Johnson
Alison Robertson
Alison Robertson
Teacher
Bumper Robinson
Bumper Robinson
Frank
Bobby Tyson
Hap
Alex Van
Alex Van
Drunk White Man
Camille O. Cosby
Broadway Audience Member (uncredited)
Tiffany LeShai McMinn
Tiffany LeShai McMinn
Student (uncredited)
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