Local civil rights leader Eliot Battle sat with his hands folded in his lap in the first row of Bush Auditorium at MU and awaited to see the documentary that tells the story of his continuous fight in desegregating schools, housing and the Columbia community.
MU Extension held the preview screening of the local documentary, “Battle: Change From Within” at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cornell Hall. More than 400 people showed up and the entire auditorium was filled with audiences from different walks of life, including students, faculty, parents and leaders in various fields.
Battle, 87, was an assistant principal and guidance counselor at the all-black Frederick Douglass High School and the first black faculty member of Hickman High School after it merged with Douglas in 1960. In the course of his time at Hickman, Battle played a pivotal role in advocating desegregation and mediating conflicts in the early years of its transformation to an integrated school.
Michael Hicks, MU Extension film and TV producer, said many documentaries focus on the conflicts without an answer, but Battle’s personality and his philosophy of life contribute to the uniqueness of this short film.
The 55-minute long documentary portrays Battle as a pioneer in local civil rights movement through archival film footage, photos, newspaper accounts and scores of interviews with his children, former students, colleagues, community leaders and himself.
Donna Battle Pierce, one of Battle’s daughters, said her father is rewarded by waking up every day and living life to its fullest. He taught her to never settle for less and take risks. She joined the swim club in high school and was the only black team member at the time.
“I was afraid to swim, but I joined the club anyway because I wanted to show people what black women could do,” Pierce said. “My father always insisted that no one’s better, and everyone on this planet is equal.”
Alma Tapp, one of Battle’s many former students, also talked about her life-changing encounter with Battle. Tapp was pregnant when attending high school and she decided to skip classes and shun herself from everyone else.
“It was the end of the world to me,” Tapp said. “But Mr. Battle kept calling and calling and said, ‘Hi Alma, this is Eliot, you have to complete your education.’ He was the one who made sure that I got through high school.”
Tapp, who has completed her master’s degree, started sobbing in the interview.
When Battle’s quote, “The only way to make change is to fight from within,” appeared at the end of the documentary, everyone in the auditorium stood up and applauded for his unceasing dedication in changing Columbia for the better.
The screening was followed by a short speech from Battle and a Q-and-A session. Battle said the biggest piece of advice he could give to today’s young people is to never be satisfied with a high school diploma, don’t give up and don’t accept negativity.
Junior Jordan Petrus said she was amazed by the community turnout.
“I think it says a lot for the amount of work and the people who do care in our working to make equal education opportunities for everyone,” Petrus says. “My favorite part was when he’s asked if he thought the battle’s over and he said, ‘No, I think we’ve just begun.’ The applause afterward was just so exhilarating for me.”