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Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Name: Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
Director: Lynne Littman
Released: 1999
Duration: 100 min

Representation Score

4.8/10

Fair

1999

Director

Lynne Littman

Runtime

100 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film is a powerful exploration of historical reclamation, centering the intellectual and professional achievements of Black women. It successfully breaks down monolithic views of the Black experience by showcasing the diverse trajectories of the Delany sisters. By documenting their navigation of both racial and gender barriers, the film challenges conventional clichés of female passivity. The multi-layered approach provides a sophisticated look at how race and gender shaped a century of American history. While the film excels in racial and gendered representation, it lacks LGBTQ+ narratives and does not prominently feature central depictions of disability.

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Category Breakdown

Does Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on traditional family structures and biological lineages, without featuring LGBTQ+ characters or narratives that question the assumption that everyone is straight.

How does Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years portray gender?

Excellent

The film challenges traditional gender roles by highlighting the professional success of Black women. It portrays them as educators and dentists who drive their own legacies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years?

Excellent

This production centers a Black female perspective across a century, showcasing diverse socioeconomic experiences and avoiding stereotypes through actively leading portrayals of characters of color.

How does Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques systemic injustices and historical institutional failures. While the Episcopal Church is part of the cultural backdrop, the focus remains on navigating an oppressive status quo.

Does Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that serve as central narrative drivers in this work.

Present on Screen

Centering the professional and intellectual achievements of Black women.
Providing a nuanced, actively leading portrayal of Black female longevity.
Breaking down monolithic views of the Black experience through diverse socioeconomic trajectories.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or narratives.
Absence of prominent depictions regarding physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

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.

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