Written by Christa Patterson, Photo courtesy of SCAD
In February, a handful of black historical figures stories are lightly told – one of which is Harriet Tubman. But having a renowned name doesn’t mean much when few are aware of why that name is significant. What tragedies and triumphs did that individual face for their name to be written down in history?
Not many know the true, rich story that makes the name Harriet Tubman more than a noun. When a story is truly told and not summarized, it starts to peer through the concealed pages of history and brings the name to life, to a human being with thoughts, fears and beliefs.
This is a woman who achieved far more than anyone thought she could, given her circumstances, race and gender. Once she crossed the Pennsylvania border, she gained a taste of freedom that was more than the sweet golden honey that shined over her hands and face. It made her wonder if she was transformed into another person. However, the liquid rays were spiked with the desire that no other being would be robbed of the warm dish called freedom.
Born into what she believed was the closest thing to hell, “Minty” [Harriet] was an uneducated and enslaved woman. She was given a new name, “Moses,” which soared over her tiny frame, that might’ve reached five feet with a good pair of heels.
Her name doesn’t exceed the average human because of her achievements, but the difficulties she blazed through, the drawbacks she turned into qualifications and the circumstances she turned into opportunities. She had the courage to do what was perceived as unwise. But what her heart told her made her name monumental.
Reasons like this, make it hard and almost unjust to summarize her in a few pages – especially, not in a summary box at the end of a page. With the inspiring and motivational lessons that are conveyed through her story, it must have been an honor and equal burden for Director and Co-Writer Kasi Lemmons to take on “Harriet.”
Like Tubman, Lemmons conquered challenging encounters which ultimately led to the screening of this film. A movie that not only tells Tubman’s story but allows the audience to build a personal connection with her as we feel her deepest emotions and fears.
It’s the pain and desire of freedom, perfectly nailed in the movie, that makes Harriet a cinematic icon. The movie doesn’t just bring a refreshing taste to a commonly told story, but it portrays Harriet in such a way that I could envision the film while reading Tubman’s quotes. Despite accurately depicting the mistreatment of the slaves in the South, “Harriet” manages to capture the corruption of one of America’s oldest institutions without evoking a sense of division. Which is a perception formed by the reality of the discrimination and dishonest systems among us today. Rather, it causes us to acknowledge our country’s dark past and encourages us to take action than complacency.
