Eyes on the Prize first premiered in 1987, as a documentary series on the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It chronicled the period from 1954 to 1965. Part two of the PBS series began airing in 1990, continuing the story by recounting events that took place from 1964 to 1983.
In February of 2025, part three began airing on HBO, and featured the work of several Vineyarders, including filmmaker Dawn Porter, composer John Forté and Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School student Fiona Brown. It covers the period from 1977 to 2015.
Ms. Porter, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and seasonal resident of the Vineyard, executive produced the recent series. Ms. Porter said she wanted to focus on the actions of everyday people doing crucial work in their communities.
“The idea that only a singular messiah is going to help is false,” she said in a recent interview with the Gazette. “The idea is that all of these people were radicalized and realized that they could actually have power. If they came together and organized themselves, they could be effective.”
Ms. Porter was approached by HBO in 2021 with the concept for the latest installment of Eyes On The Prize. As executive producer, she hired the individual directors for each episode, organized the flow of the series and supervised production. She wanted to stay true to the previous episodes by intentionally framing the perspective.
“[The first two parts of] Eyes On The Prize are a look back at what had happened decades before to try and understand the significance of what had happened,” she said. “The most important thing for us is that it was a look back, and that it did not come into the present tense because we still don’t know the end of the story.”
Ms. Porter reached out to Mr. Forté, a Chilmark resident, and the two started collaborating during the pandemic, with Mr. Forté composing the score for the series. He also suggested they audition Fiona Brown, a young Island singer he knew through Kate Taylor, Ms. Brown’s grandmother.
“He hadn’t heard any of my stuff yet, but he invited me over to his recording studio in Chilmark, and we did a little demo track, and he really liked it, and everyone liked it, and he sent it over to HBO,” Ms. Brown said, during a recent break from her eighth grade class at the charter school.
Ms. Brown, who is only 14 years old and has dreams of becoming a professional singer, then traveled to New Orleans to record the final track of the theme song for the series in a church with a children’s choir.
“Being surrounded by all these people who feel as passionately about music and soul, it was very empowering, and the whole process was so fun,” she said.
Being a part of the historic series is something she doesn’t take lightly.
“As a young Black individual, I think it’s just so important,” Ms. Brown said. “I feel honored to know that I’m part of a project that can teach young voices like me, and that’s educational and powerful.”
One of the highlights of the process for Ms. Porter was including Ms. Brown, noting that the last episode of the series focuses on the next generation.
“Introducing Fiona to [Eyes On The Prize] and saying that she is part of this story . . . it was really one of the more special moments in my career,” she said.
To Ms. Porter, the objective of the series is to remind people that the Civil Rights Movement continues.
“Because of social media, we have this idea that we are aware of all the efforts to preserve or secure equality, and I don’t think that’s the case,” Ms. Porter said. “The idea is that the Civil Rights Movement is not a moment in time. It was not in the 1960s, it is now, and it will continue to be.”
Ms. Porter said she hopes to inspire viewers by showcasing what others have accomplished, whether their actions are outwardly visible or not.
“I hope people will see that people do work in different ways and that there’s always something that you can do,” she said. “There are always people working . . . We are not helpless.”
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