Home Movies TV Series Search Sign in

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

7.3 100 mins History   Drama   TV Movie   1999
Columbia TriStar Television   Dreyfuss / James Productions   CBS  
Director(s): Lynne Littman

Release Date: 18 Sun, Apr 1999

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.

Casts of Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Diahann Carroll

as Sadie Delany

Ruby Dee

as Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany

Amy Madigan

as Amy Hill Hearth

Lisa Arrindell

as Sadie in her 20s

Audra McDonald

as Bessie in her 20s

Mykelti Williamson

as Papa Delany

Lonette McKee

as Mama Delany

Richard Roundtree

as Booker T. Washington

Della Reese

as Martha Logan

Ahmond

as Henry Delany

Cameron Arnett

as Lemuel

Thomas Clark

as Lucious

Sharlease Collier

as Churchgoer

Brandon Crawford

as Bag Boy

Cordereau Dye

as Hubert Thomas Delany

Annie-Joe Edwards

as New Tenant

Carter Gaston

as Manross Delany

Micki Grant

as Actress playing Sadie on Broadway

Kiara Harris

as Sadie age 7

April Jones

as Harriet

Rebecca Koon

as Miss Moseley

Patty Mack

as Mildred

Lizan Mitchell

as Actress playing Bessie on Broadway

Terry Nienhuis

as Mr. Milliam

Clifton Powell

as Frazier Johnson

Alison Robertson

as Teacher

Bumper Robinson

as Frank

Bobby Tyson

as Hap

Alex Van

as Drunk White Man

Camille O. Cosby

as Broadway Audience Member (uncredited)

Tiffany LeShai McMinn

as Student (uncredited)

You might also like