Learning History Through Film

   

This is a newspaper article proving that Solomon Northup was kidnapped and forced into slavery

I watched 12 Years a Slave and Glory and realized that many great historical facts and references were presented to me in a much more meaningful way. A movie allows the audience to become more connected and attached to the characters in the movies by putting the audience in a position where they are up close and personal with the characters. While watching the movie Glory, I was able to comprehend the way the African Americans felt about the first ever group of African American soldiers. They were extremely passionate about them being able to fight in the battle and because I was watching this, I could feel just as passionate about them fighting. After watching Glory, my class and I watched the movie, 12 Years A Slave. This movie was one of the most moving, heartfelt, and heartbreaking movies I had ever experienced. This was not just a movie that was to be watched, but it was to be experienced. 12 Years A Slave, put me in an uncomfortable, scared, and exhausted state of being. Being born an African American free man, Solomon Northup experienced many situations that most African Americans, during that time, did not get to.  He embarked on his journey of enslavement by greeting two men who were soon to be his kidnappers. Solomon wakes to discover, after being drugged, he was forced into a room where he was chained up and beaten multiple times. As the audience, we experience the fear and discomfort Solomon felt in this scene. I was put into a situation where I was emotionally and mentally connected to Solomon Northup. I felt exactly what he was feeling because I was able to mentally be in the position and situation that Solomon was in. 

This is a list of all the free slaves during the 1800's

Although these movies are historical movies with historical events, the director added additional scene to keep the connection between the character and audience alive. Without this connection and bond between the characters and the audience, the movie would fail because nothing ever clicked with anyone. The director must decide on what all to put in a movie, whether it is historically accurate or not. For example, the director of the film, 12 Years A Slave, created a historically inaccurate scene at the beginning of the movie to add emphasis on the brutality of slavery. When Solomon was on the Brig Orleans boat with numerous other slaves, a crew member grabbed Eliza with the intentions of raping her. While in the process of stealing the girl, a friend of Solomon’s attempted to stop the crew member, but was stabbed without hesitation. The idea of the director was to emphasize the brutal truth that slaves were nothing to other people and they were simply just there to satisfy the needs of their authority. 

Proof that Solomon Northup was forced onto the Brig Orleans to be sold into slavery. 

          While some parts of the film were inaccurate, some were historically accurate. For example, the whole autobiography written by Solomon Northup explaining his excruciating and exhausting twelve years of slavery. He explains the twelve years of torturous work that he endured for the twelve years of his life. According to a website I used, a documentation that Solomon Northup was on a boat, by the name of Brig Orleans, to be sold into slavery in Louisiana. Another document was found stating that Solomon Northup was enslaved on the Epps Plantation in Louisiana according to a website I used for research. A website I used for information, states that while living on the Epps Plantation in Louisiana, Solomon Northup wrote a letter addressed to W.M. Penny and Lewis Parker. This letter explained his situation of being a slave to Epps and it was crucial that he receive his liberation papers. 

Proof that Epps had slaves on his plantation

In conclusion, I believe that students should watch historical movies during school because they provide more clear of understandings than just simply reading text. Due to these movies, I was able to comprehend exactly what messages the directors, actors, and authors were trying to get across. In addition to just watching the movies, I believe that students should be given the opportunity to grow more in their education even after the movie by researching to discover the historical accuracies and historical inaccuracies. 

Proof that Solomon had met someone while enslaved who journaled about Solomon Northup's enslavement 

Sources:

• I used this National Archives blog to find the documentation proving Solomon Northup's freedom and captivity
• I used this website to find out what exactly the letter stated that was written to Lewis Parker and W.M. Penny to bring the papers proving Solomon's freedom
• I used this website to try to get a better understanding of what happened to Solomon Northup when he was enslaved
• https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028745/1860-06-05/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1860&index=3&date2=1860&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&lccn=sn84028745&words=Case+Waggoner&proxdistance=5&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=waggoner+case&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1&loclr=blogtea
• This website was used to discover the historically accurate events in the movie Glory
• I viewed this website to look for more evidence of historically accurate events throughout the movie 12 Years A Slave
• I also used this website to discover the historical accuracies in the film 12 Years A Slave