Rob Nelson of Variety, said in his review that "A well-shaped and powerful reminder of a time in recent American history when white supremacy was decisively and courageously undercut.

"[7] Duane Byrge in his review for The Hollywood Reporter praised the film by saying that "veteran filmmaker Stanley Nelson has crafted a searing portrait of those violent, racist times.

Intelligently composed and powerfully driven, Freedom Summer is a stirring historical document.

"[8] Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan of Herald Sun, about the film said that ""Freedom Summer," for those who were born after 1964, brings home a time when wanting to vote meant threats of death on one extreme end, and losing your job on the other.

It's a reminder why any new restrictions on voting, in particular those that impact African-American voters, are worth close scrutiny.