The PRATT in the HAT is a short film about Frances Pratt, her hats, her “prattisms”, and her civil rights leadership which began in 1957 and continues to this day.
The PRATT in the HAT is a celebration of Pratt’s unique wisdom which she gained through observation and perseverance as a woman of color.
Susan Hillary Shapiro was inspired to create this piece when she spotted Frances across the room at a crowded political event. Pratt was adorned in one of her striking hats and to Susan, she seemed a beacon of color in a sea of grey. “I asked her if she would allow me to photograph her in her hats,” Susan explains. “She agreed and I found what lay beneath her large-brimmed bonnets was a woman whose personal insight and firsthand knowledge into racial equality is one that is relevant, now more than ever.” If Frances Pratt’s hats make a bold statement so too does Pratt’s southern charm and pithy expressions which she garnered through a lifetime of service to her community.