The movie The Great Debaters is based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a poet and professor from the 1930s. In the movie, Tolson’s character is that of an energetic professor at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas who organizes the school debate team. That debate team goes on to debate white colleges, to a mostly undefeated season where they won a 1935 debate against Harvard, the reigning national champion.