Friday was spent with a small group touring the best historical sites in the area. In the morning we visited the Wayne County Historical Museum. Oh, my. It is an exceptional museum. Richmond had the good fortune to have attracted men who made a great deal of money in the 1800s making such things as farm equipment and lawn mowers. A lady married into one of the families only to find out that her husband was bi-polar. He was institutionalized in Cincinnati for much of his life. This woman loved to travel and did just that. She bought treasures that she brought home with her. The museum is full of her treasures as well as many examples of articles made and/or used in the Richmond area. There is even a real Egyptian mummy. There is a wonderful story that a man who had been president of the Fisher-Price company and is now retired heard of the need to display the mummy in an appropriate way. He told his wife of the need. It turns out that she is an Egyptian expert and the two of them took on the job. They have volunteered to develop an Egyptian room that is quite amazing.
Here are a few photos of some of my favorite things in the museum:
The afternoon was spent visiting the Levi Coffin House in Fountain City. When Levi and Catharine were living there, the town was called Newport. Our guide told us many stories of the many black men, women and children who passed through this house on their way from Slavery to Freedom. Two of the particularly interesting things in the house were an indoor spring-fed well that is in the basement kitchen of the house and several locations in the house that may have been used to hide the freedom seekers. It is believed that the house was never searched.
In the upstairs bedroom that is believed to have been used by Levi's mother, there is a pewter bowl. It is said that the bowl belonged to Tristan and Dionysis Coffin. Levi and I share this couple as ancestors. They are my 9th-gr-grandparents. Of course, I had to have a photo of this antique!
Today was spent listening to speakers who shared research and stories about both abolitionists and freedom seekers. The talks were wonderful! I will try to capture some of the stories when I am not so tired.
I will also tell about having my passport stamped.
But I have to tell the one more event that took place at the end of the event! We were treated to the premier of a new movie called All or Nothin'
4:30 pm Exclusive Screening of World Premiere Film All or Nothin'
Loose Lecture Hall
The Ohio River National Freedom Corridor is proud to present a screening of feature film ALL OR NOTHIN’ by director Charles K. Campbell. The film offers a rare glimpse of the Underground Railroad. Campbell challenges the traditional view that whites were the leaders and saviors while blacks their helpless nameless benefactors, when in reality they very often worked together as equals.
ALL OR NOTHIN’ dramatizes the remarkable journey of 28 enslaved Americans from Boone County, Kentucky through 4 states and 2 countries. Historians, librarians, and educators who have researched this event and similar escapes of the era have provided undeniable evidence that free and enslaved blacks, as well as white men and women were integral to the success of the Underground Railroad. ALL OR NOTHIN’ is a dramatization of their partnership to assist freedom seekers escape bondage.
Meet writer and director Charles K. Campbell and his production team and hear how this story came to light and life on the big screen.
The film length is approximately 90 minutes. We anticipate concluding the session at approximately 6;30 pm.
The information about this movie is taken from the site:
http://www.ohiorivernationalfreedomcorridor.org/
The movie is well done! It absolutely captured my imagination and brought the underground railroad in to perspective for me. Below are a few of my personal photographs. Much to my delight several of the actors watched the movie for the first time with our audience. A wonderful event! Some of the photos did not turn out, so I didn't get photos of all of the actors. And the very close up of a most attractive actor is because he was sitting next to me and the photo was thus VERY close up.
The last photo is of Charles K. Campbell who is the filmmaker.
No comments:
Post a Comment