"In the Heat of the Night" Reaction

In the Heat of the Night 
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I had seen bits and pieces of In the Heat of the Night with my father on the couch or just passing by the tv at home but never sat down to watch it fully. I was very impressed with nearly every aspect of the film from the cinematography to the smaller unnoticed jabs at cultural norms of the time. On the surface The Heat of the Night is a police crime movie about cracking a murder of a wealthy man in rural Sparta, Mississippi. Sidney Poitier plays Detective Virgil Tibbs an African American man from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who gets caught up trying to solve the murder while dealing with southern racism of the time, and Rod Steiger as police chief Bill Gillespie who is new on the job and trying to defend his position by catching the assailant. 

While there is lots to discuss within the movie I found the relationship between these charters to be the most interesting. The movie begins with chief Gillespie being stereotypically racist and hateful towards Tibbs, but eventually coming around letting Tibbs into his home to share a drink and even what many would say is defending him in the green house with Larry Gates' charter Eric Endicott. Gillespie saves Tibbs from racist confederates trying to kill Tibbs, tells tibs to leave town as to "not have another mess in this town," but then saves him a second time. Thought the movie you can see Gillespie trust and respect Tibbs as a man and a detective more and more, giving Tibbs more authority and leeway to do as he sees fit.

Virgil Tibbs and Bill Gillespie

 Almost everyone in the movie is racist and prejudice period. While Gillespie appears to be the same at the start it appears to me that he has been conditioned by the people around him and acts accordingly. As he beings to learn more about Tibbs his perspective changes, Gillespie gains more respect for Tibbs even though his words are still sharp. This relationship is a representation of the new generation where as African Americans gain more independence and knowledge people start to form their own opinions instead of listening to those before them. The best example of this is the green house scene where after Tibbs accuses Eric Endicott of being involved in the murder they exchanges slaps. Endicott asks Gillespie if he is "going to do anything about that," where Gillespie responds "I'm not sure". Endicott then turns to Tibbs and tells him that previously he could have had him shot for slapping him. The contrast in Endicott and Gillespie's behaviors demonstrate this change in mindset perfectly, while Endicott wants to have Tibbs killed, Gillespie does not defend Tibbs but certainly does not punish him in any way.  

In doing more research on the movie I came across an in depth explanation video witch talked about many things I missed. The most interesting is his idea that the African Americans are the backbone of the town. When Tibbs needs a car Gillespie take him to Khalil Bazaleel, who plays Jess, auto shop because he is a proper mechanic. Endicott's entire cotton empire is built off the backs of African Americans picking it, and when girls need abortions they go to Mama Caleba's shop, played by Beah Richards. Gillespie accuses three suspects and is prepared to jail them when Tibbs does some basic investigation to find that they could not have been the murderer. Without Tibbs Gillespie could not have done his job properly, and without the rest of the African Americans there would be no town. 

I thought this film was incredible and it has left such an impression on me I will be going on to watch some other Mirisch Production Company films this weekend. 

 Video Reaction Post

Abraham Lincoln 
16th President 

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, marked a devastating turning point in American history. As the Civil War drew to a close, Lincoln’s death at the hands of John Wilkes Booth not only shocked the nation but also disrupted the fragile path toward reconciliation and civil rights. Lincoln had envisioned a Reconstruction rooted in unity and gradual integration of freed African Americans into society. His absence left a leadership vacuum that would be filled by Vice President Andrew Johnson—a man whose policies would prove deeply divisive.

Johnson, a Southern Democrat who remained loyal to the Union, assumed the presidency with a vision starkly different from Lincoln’s. Though he initially promised to uphold the Union’s victory, Johnson’s leniency toward former Confederates and his opposition to civil rights legislation alienated Radical Republicans in Congress. He vetoed key Reconstruction bills, including the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and resisted the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship to formerly enslaved people. His approach emboldened Southern states to enact restrictive laws known as Black Codes.

Andrew Johnson
17th President 

Black Codes were designed to suppress the newfound freedom of African Americans and maintain a labor force similar to slavery. These laws varied by state but commonly included vagrancy statutes, labor contract requirements, and limitations on property ownership and mobility. The intent was clear: to preserve white supremacy and economic control in the post-war South. In effect, Black Codes undermined the promise of emancipation and perpetuated racial inequality.

Lincoln’s assassination removed a leader committed to a more inclusive vision of Reconstruction. Johnson’s presidency, marked by resistance to civil rights and empowerment of Southern elites, allowed the Black Codes to flourish. This period laid the foundation for systemic racial discrimination that would persist for generations, highlighting the profound consequences of leadership and policy in shaping the course of American history.

AI disclaimer: I used M365 Copilot to organize the notes I took in class. I added some of my own thoughts to the post, along with photos and hyperlinks.