The Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival hosted several screenings this past weekend, with a few followed by a segment titled “The Color of Conversation.”
Harvard professor Vincent Brown made an appearance at Saturday’s segment, discussing his work in understanding and educating about Black history.
The festival — running for 22 years — stretches over the course of nine days, from Aug. 2 to Aug. 10. It highlights Oscar-qualifying Black cinema in the form of independent films and documentaries, as well as incorporating interactive panel discussions.
Saturday’s third portion of screenings grouped together two documentary films — “Dying to Vote” and “How do you remember the days of slavery?” — before the discussion with Brown, all following a theme of understanding how to teach and remember slavery.
“I’ve been concerned that teaching Black history is under attack,” Brown said at the beginning of his discussion. “I think one of the primary answers that we respond with to that attack is to say, ‘Black history is American history.’” He went on to decipher Black history not only as American history, but also as world history.
In his discussion, Brown drew from the two films that were screened. “Dying to Vote” is directed by Loki Mulholland. The film unfolds the history of voter intimidation and discrimination in America, told through various personal narratives.
“How do you remember the days of slavery?” was directed by Brown himself. The film showcased a more global perspective, as Brown traveled to Jamaica to better understand its own slave history.
“You can’t understand freedom without understanding the people who were enslaved,” Brown said in a point of bridging the two films’ messages together. Both Brown and moderator Kendra Field, associate professor in the Tufts history department, pointed to the importance of focusing on real enslaved people, instead of grouping that experience as just an institution.
And in that discussion of individual people, Brown pointed out a connection between the films, in recognizing people who worked to break against the system of slavery and combat the institutions which oppressed them.
“They had their own aspirations, families; they tried to leave a legacy to their own descendants, and often did,” Brown said. “And we want to focus on that.”
Screenings and discussions will continue to take place at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center throughout the week, and the festival will close this Saturday. Check our calendar section for more information.
I respectfully would disagree with the comment
“You cannot understand freedom without understanding the people who were enslaved”.
No validity to this comment at all.
From many of our ancestors, of all colors and ethnicities and our history books, we have learned about slavery. And the knowledge that many of our own, helped or were a part of our ancestors being enslaved.”
Blame falls on all sides when slavery is an issue.
But history moves on.
And what is just as relevant in our world today, is what we are doing to prevent slavery now.
By understanding our Country, Constitution, Religions, Military and First Responders, Respect and the 10 Commandments – this is how we learn to value our Freedom.
So much more. But super abbreviated for this post.
“You cannot understand freedom without understanding the people who were enslaved”.
Is a valid statement.
it is just apart of the understanding.
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