They emphasized how small and steady steps have huge consequences. It was a movie with the taste of "Dead Poets Society", emphasizing the ability to speak in front of society as the main subject and racial equality as a sub-topic.
The scene I was most impressed with was Mr. Farmer's defense of the teacher against the sheriff. Although Mr. Farmer was a rightist and the teacher was a leftist, he emphasized that when it comes to justice, they both want the same thing.
Review of The Great Debaters
