''Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives'' is a 2003 American

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...

about the stories of former slaves interviewed during the 1930s as part of the

Federal Writers' Project The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was a federal government project in the United States created to provide jobs for out-of-work writers during the Great Depression. It was part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal program. It wa ...

and preserved in the WPA Slave Narrative Collection. This HBO film interpretation directed by Ed Bell and Thomas Lennon is a compilation of slave narratives, narrated by actors, emulating the original conversation with the interviewer. The slave narratives may be the most accurate in terms of the everyday activities of the enslaved, serving as personal memoirs of more than two thousand former slaves. The documentary depicts the emotions of the slaves and what they endured. The "Master" had the opportunity to sell, trade, or kill the enslaved, for retribution should one slave not obey.

History

The largest collection of slave narratives emerged from the

. Created by the Federal Government under the WPA to reduce unemployment during the 1930s, one component of the Federal Writers' Project involved interviews with thousands of former slaves in 17 states. The oral history interview project yielded an extraordinary set of 2,300 autobiographical documents known as the

Slave Narrative Collection ''Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States'' (often referred to as the WPA Slave Narrative Collection) is a collection of histories by formerly enslaved people undertaken by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progre ...

. What emerged from these documents were pictures of living standards, the daily chores, and long days, along with stories of the good and bad "Master." The brutality, torture, and abuse under slavery are themes in the interviews. After the Civil War ended in 1865, more than four million slaves were set free. The main objectives were to inform the public and describe the history and life of the former slaves. More than 2,000 slave narratives along with 500 photos are available online at the Library of Congress as part of the "Born in Slavery" project.

Slaves and readers

*James Green, Texas, Volume 16 – read by Samuel L. Jackson 0:08 – ''last time I ever ... see her'' *Narrated by:

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...

1:30 *Sarah Gudger, North Carolina, Volume 11 – read by

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4:21 – ''never know nothin' but work'' *Charley Williams, Oklahoma, Volume 13 – read by Ruben Santiago-Hudson 6:40 – ''bells and horns'' *Frances Black, Texas, Volume 16 – 8:18 – ''he bought you for to play with me'' *Martin Jackson, Texas, Volume 16 - read by

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8:35 – ''my new master was only two'' *Henry Coleman, South Carolina, Volume 14 – read by

Roscoe Lee Browne Roscoe Lee Browne (May 2, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American actor and director. He resisted playing stereotypically black roles, instead performing in several productions with New York City's Shakespeare Festival Theater, Leland Hayward ...

9:39 peafowl fly-brushes *Jennie Proctor, Texas, Volume 16 – read by

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10:40 – beaten over a biscuit *Jenny Proctor, Texas, Volume 16 – 12:54 – ''Webster's old blue-back speller'' *Elizabeth Sparks, Virginia, Volume 17 – read by

Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic '' What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...

14:30 – ''knit all day'', ''some had gizzards instead of hearts'' *Rosa Starke, South Carolina, Volume 14 – 15:28 – ''there was more classes amongst the slaves'' *Cato Carter, Texas, Volume 16 – read by

Roger Guenveur Smith Roger Guenveur Smith (born July 27, 1955) is an American actor, director, and writer best known for his collaborations with Spike Lee. Early life Smith was born on July 27, 1955 in Berkeley, California, the son of Helen Guenveur, a dentist, and ...

16:00 – ''I was one of their blood'', ''I was one of the most dudish'' *Mary Reynolds, Texas, Volume 16 – read by

17:26 – ''we got the same daddy you has'' *Rev. Ishrael Massie, Virginia – 18:26 – ''make slave get up and do as they say'' *Fannie Berry, Virginia – read by

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19:02 – ''some slaves would be so beat up when they resisted'' *Mary Estes Peters, Arkansas, Volume 2 – read by Jasmine Guy 19:48 – ''that's the way I came to be here'' *Sarah Ashley, Texas, Volume 16 – read by

21:36 – ''I always get my 300 pounds'' *Charles Grandy, Virginia — read by Ruben Santiago-Hudson 23:00 – ''til the blood come'' *Marshall Butler, Georgia, Volume 4 – read by Samuel L. Jackson *William Colbert, Alabama, Volume 1 – read by

Courtney B. Vance Courtney Bernard Vance (born March 12, 1960) is an American actor. Known for his commanding presence Vance started his career on stage before transitioning his career into film and television. He's received various accolades including a Tony Awa ...

*Katie Darling, Texas, Volume 16 – read by Jasmine Guy *Vinnie Brunson, Texas, Volume 3 – read by Vanessa L. Williams *Fannie Berry, read by

*Jack & Rosa Maddox, Texas, Volume 7 – read by Ossie Davis and

Ruby Dee Ruby Dee (October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. She originated the role of "Ruth Younger" in the stage and film versions of '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1 ...

*Mary Reynolds, Texas, Volume 16 – read by

*Louisa Adams, North Carolina, Volume 11 – read by

*Octavia George, Oklahoma, Volume 13 – *Sarah Ashley, Texas, Volume 17 – *Charles Grandy, Virginia – read by Ruben Santiago-Hudson *Shang Harris, Georgia, Volume 4 – read by

Don Cheadle Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (; born November 29, 1964) is an American actor. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned nom ...

*Beverly Jones, Virginia – *Wash Wilson, Texas, Volume 16 – *Mary Reynolds, Texas, Volume 16 – *Marshall Butler, Georgia, Volume 4 – read by Samuel L. Jackson *Fannie Berry, Virginia – *Lucindy Lawrence Jurdon, Alabama, Volume 1 – *Mary Reynolds, Texas, Volume 16 – *Tempie Herndon Durham, North Carolina, Volume 11 – read by Vanessa L. Williams *Rose Williams, Texas, Volume 16 – *Sarah Frances Shaw Graves, Missouri, Volume 10 – *Laura Clark, Alabama, Volume 1 – read by

*W.L. Bost, North Carolina. Volume 11 – read by Ossie Davis *Robert Falls, Tennessee, Volume 15 – read by

*Cato Carter. Texas, Volume 16 – read by

*Thomas Cole, Texas, Volume 16 – read by Ruben Santiago-Hudson *Arnold Gragston, Florida, Volume 3 – read by

*Mary Reynolds, Texas, Volume 16 – *Arnold Gragston, Florida, Volume 3 – read by

*Katie Row, Oklahoma, Volume 13 – *Pvt. Spottswood Rice, Co A, 67th US Colored Infantry – read by

*William Moore, Texas, Volume 16 – read by Samuel L. Jackson *Katie Rowe, Oklahoma, Volume 13 – *Wash Ingram, Texas, Volume 16 – read by Michael Boatman *Robert Falls, Tennessee, Volume 15 – read by

References

External links

*
"Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives", in ''Time'', 2002.
{{Slave narrative, state=expanded American documentary films 2003 films 2003 documentary films Films scored by Terence Blanchard Documentary films about slavery in the United States 2000s English-language films 2000s American films

History

Slaves and readers

See also

References

Further reading

External links