
Cicely Tyson was Emmy-nominated as Outstanding Actress for her portrait of a Chicago schoolteacher whose remarkable achievements with black children labelled "unteachable" were spotlighted in a 1979 "60 Minutes" segment about how she became disillusioned with the traditional school system and decided to work outside of it, transforming her students into young scholars through her unique teaching style.

as Marva Collins

as Clarence Collins

as Martin Luther Jones (as Roderick Wimberly)

as Cindy Collins

as Patrick Collins

as Eric Collins

as Cynthia Rawls

as McCloud

as Ida Banbower

as Chester Boland

as Lela Boland

as Louise Jones

as Zay Smith

as Mardesich

as Tina Boland

as Clarissa Lester

as Eddie Banbower

as Roxanne Johnston

as Rose

as Brenda

as Truman

as Narrator (voice)

as Ms. Lester

as Raphael