A few days ago, actress Aunjanue Ellis was spotted at an awards show wearing a dress with the words:”TAKE IT DOWN MISSISSIPPI.”
The actress was protesting Mississippi’s state flag which includes an image of the confederate flag. I was introduced to the beautiful Ellis after watching the film “Book of Negroes.” A relative was always trying to get me to watch the movie, but I would decline. I think it’s important slavery movies are made. But I tend to be weary of most slave films as they tend to consist of the same narrative of the downtrodden/beaten slave. I thought for sure it was going to be another one of those depressing tales.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. The “Book of Negroes” tackled the issue of slavery from a unique perspective. The fictional movie is based on a novel based on a true account of black slaves called “Black Loyalists.”
“The Book of Negroes is a historical document which records names and descriptions of 3,000 Black Loyalists, the African-American slaves who escaped to the British lines during the American Revolution and were evacuated by the British by ship to points in Nova Scotia as freed men. ” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Negroes
Ellis plays Aminata Diallo, a young African girl stolen from her family. She is sold into slavery and experiences the horrors that fell upon many slave women (abuse, rape, and children sold away). The story takes a turn as Aminata, who was taught to “catch” babies or help birth babies by her mother, has adventure after adventure due to her talent. She is also admired for her intelligence and literacy abilities.
I enjoyed “Book of Negroes” because it brought a freshness to the slave story and features a courageous black heroine. What I also liked about the film, it showed what happened when some slaves were able to make it back to Africa. It was rather heartbreaking, as they were not returning as the same people and struggled to adjust. It was foreshadowing of the conflicts that often happens between African-Americans and Africans today.
While black folks look to our future, we definitely should never forget our past. There are so many people who had to suffer for us to live today.
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