Despite the playful stovepipe hat atop his head, screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard has a serious message for teenagers celebrating Read Across America. Reading is not just important for children, he says. Reading is important for people of all ages if they want to succeed and grow.
"I have always been a voracious reader," Howard told attentive students from Cabrillo Middle School in Santa Clara, many of whom had seen the movie made from his screenplay Remember the Titans starring Denzel Washington. "Reading is the most important way to get your information and will continue to be important throughout your life."
Gregory Allen Howard reads from the script for his movie Remember the Titans. Howard was the keynote speaker for CTA's Equity and Human Rights Conference in Santa Clara.
The author of the Disney movie kicked off Read Across America in California with a reading from his movie script. The story is based on the true story of a football team and coach who helped heal racial tensions in Virginia three decades ago. The event also signaled the beginning of CTA's Human Rights Conference in Santa Clara. Howard, the brother of CTA Board member Lynette Henley, proved an ideal choice to promote both reading and the "celebration of diversity" the theme of the conference.
A graduate of Princeton University who majored in American history, Howard told the students that he had read three sets of encyclopedias by the time he was 18 reading at least five pages a night. His knowledge was soon channeled into writing historical dramas. He is also the original writer of the Columbia Pictures film Ali based on the life of Muhammad Ali, starring Will Smith, which began production in November.
Santa Clara middle-schoolers listen to Gregory Allen Howard.
His inspiration for Remember the Titans occurred when he moved to Alexandria, Va., a city so integrated it was "unusual." After questioning the locals, he was told repeatedly, "a high school football team, the T.C. Williams Titans, integrated the city in 1971." Upon further investigation, Howard found the former coaches and key players and acquired their story rights, confident that Hollywood would be interested. Studios passed on the story, but rather than giving up, Howard wrote a full-length script that eventually found its way to Disney.
Along with reading excerpts from his script, Howard interspersed comments about the real-life characters in the story. "We have failed at race relations for so many years, partly because we think we have to like each other," he said. "Respect is the foundation of a healthy relationship. The coaches told me they did not like each other, but that they did respect each other. I felt that was important to get across."
Also important was the film's message about the irrelevancy of the interracial team winning football games. He recalled one of the characters stating, "I'm not going to talk about winning and losing. We've already won by not killing each other."
Chalking it up
Students at Westmont Elementary School in Anaheim celebrate Read Across America by creating a Sidewalk Art Gallery. They are illustrating their favorite books with chalk paintings.
At the end of the presentation, Howard signed autographs and handed out books by Dr. Seuss, whose March 2 birthday is commemorated with Read Across America. "I want you to take these books and read them to someone younger than you," he said. "I want you to do it today. It's important to share the love of reading and books with others."
