Harriet
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monae, Leslie Odom Jr.
Based on the story of iconic freedom fighter, Harriet Tubman, “Harriet” follows the story of this courageous young woman as she escapes from slavery and follows the North Star to find her freedom in the north. After journeying 100 miles to freedom, and giving herself the name Harriet Tubman, she embarks on a perilous journey back into the South to free dozens of slaves through the Underground Railroad in the face of growing pre-Civil War adversity.
Identity is one of the most powerful themes in this film, and nowhere does it shine more strongly, than in the character of Harriet Tubman, herself, and in the different identities she becomes during her journey.
Harriet’s first identity is her name during her childhood and life as a young slave woman on her master’s plantation. During this chapter of her life, she went by her Christian name, Araminta Ross. There were three elements to her identity as Araminta: she was a daughter, she was a wife and she was a slave. To save herself from being sold deeper South, Araminta fled from her master’s plantation and journeyed 100 miles to freedom in Philadelphia. Her mantra, as she crossed the border into freedom and a new life, was “I’m going to be free or die.”
When Araminta reached the haven of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was asked if she wanted to take on a new name to honor her journey to freedom. She was reborn as Harriet Tubman (a name she got from her mother and her husband). As Harriet, she was transformed from a timid, frightened child into a strong and brave woman who became a symbol of hope for her people. She formed a new life for herself during her first year as a free woman, but her faith, which had been her constant comfort and companion since leaving her former life, remained steadfast and her heart was set to one sole purpose: salvation for her people.
Harriet’s final identity is realized when she took on the moniker of "Moses" and journeyed South to lead her family and people to freedom in the North. She was known as “the Moses of her people” because like the Biblical character of Moses, Harriet also journeyed into a dangerous land with a steadfast faith to draw her people out to freedom and to break the shackles of slavery and oppression. During her time as a Conductor for the secret Underground Railroad, Harriet led hundreds of slaves to freedom and she proudly did not lose a single passenger on her Salvation Train.
Of all the heroes that have come and gone in our history, Harriet Tubman has always been one of my very favorites. As I watched the story of her journey to freedom unfold in this film, I could not help reflecting what her heart must have felt, as she sang farewell to her beloved family and journeyed all those miles to freedom. Her faith gave her the courage she needed to become Harriet Tubman. Her courage made her a soldier of God, leading the charge to bring her people home to freedom. The casting for this movie is flawless, particularly for Cynthia Erivo who brought this beautiful heroine to life onscreen. This is a film I would HIGHLY recommend.
©2021 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monae, Leslie Odom Jr.
Based on the story of iconic freedom fighter, Harriet Tubman, “Harriet” follows the story of this courageous young woman as she escapes from slavery and follows the North Star to find her freedom in the north. After journeying 100 miles to freedom, and giving herself the name Harriet Tubman, she embarks on a perilous journey back into the South to free dozens of slaves through the Underground Railroad in the face of growing pre-Civil War adversity.
Identity is one of the most powerful themes in this film, and nowhere does it shine more strongly, than in the character of Harriet Tubman, herself, and in the different identities she becomes during her journey.
Harriet’s first identity is her name during her childhood and life as a young slave woman on her master’s plantation. During this chapter of her life, she went by her Christian name, Araminta Ross. There were three elements to her identity as Araminta: she was a daughter, she was a wife and she was a slave. To save herself from being sold deeper South, Araminta fled from her master’s plantation and journeyed 100 miles to freedom in Philadelphia. Her mantra, as she crossed the border into freedom and a new life, was “I’m going to be free or die.”
When Araminta reached the haven of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was asked if she wanted to take on a new name to honor her journey to freedom. She was reborn as Harriet Tubman (a name she got from her mother and her husband). As Harriet, she was transformed from a timid, frightened child into a strong and brave woman who became a symbol of hope for her people. She formed a new life for herself during her first year as a free woman, but her faith, which had been her constant comfort and companion since leaving her former life, remained steadfast and her heart was set to one sole purpose: salvation for her people.
Harriet’s final identity is realized when she took on the moniker of "Moses" and journeyed South to lead her family and people to freedom in the North. She was known as “the Moses of her people” because like the Biblical character of Moses, Harriet also journeyed into a dangerous land with a steadfast faith to draw her people out to freedom and to break the shackles of slavery and oppression. During her time as a Conductor for the secret Underground Railroad, Harriet led hundreds of slaves to freedom and she proudly did not lose a single passenger on her Salvation Train.
Of all the heroes that have come and gone in our history, Harriet Tubman has always been one of my very favorites. As I watched the story of her journey to freedom unfold in this film, I could not help reflecting what her heart must have felt, as she sang farewell to her beloved family and journeyed all those miles to freedom. Her faith gave her the courage she needed to become Harriet Tubman. Her courage made her a soldier of God, leading the charge to bring her people home to freedom. The casting for this movie is flawless, particularly for Cynthia Erivo who brought this beautiful heroine to life onscreen. This is a film I would HIGHLY recommend.
©2021 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.