Tag Archives: Harriet Tubman

African-American History

How The Failure to Understand a Common Writing Technique Has Led So Many Blacks to Put Their Ignorance on Full-Display

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I guess it is merely a “Sign of the Times”. The fact that our contemporaries are incapable of differentiating between entertainment “inspired by real-life events” and in-depth scholarship. Such failings speak volumes about not only the education system but also the misplaced faith that so many place in non-scholarly sources of information. 

Of course, the primary impetus for the above thoughts is the over the top reaction of so many Blacks to the Hollywood film, Harriet. 

As they are known to do, the so-called “woke” community has called for all to boycott Harriet for lack of historical accuracy among other things. In many ways, a perfect storm of race, representation, and voice caused this brouhaha. The presence of Kate Larson, a White female who served as the historical consultant on Harriet, did not help matters at all as her presence exacerbated critics’ propensity to form outlandish conspiracy theories.

Let me be forthright regarding this issue of Whites telling the story of Black ancestors like Harriet Tubman. In many ways, I am uncomfortable with the proposition of such a remarkable story being placed in the hands of the White imagination, an imagination that rarely has presented a suitable recitation of Black life. 

Yet, this posting has less to do with Kate Larson and everything to do with the production of edutainment by Hollywood Studios. To simplify my thoughts regarding this matter, I must state that my definition of edutainment is the means of describing media creations aimed at introducing a historical topic while providing entertainment to viewers. More times than not, those who consume these popular culture depictions of events “inspired by real-life events” have little knowledge about what they are viewing. In actuality, these types of films are phenomenal ways of introducing a historical event to the general public.

One thing that is obvious about the droves who have chosen to criticize Harriet is that they have no understanding of the writing process. There is not a serious writer alive who will deny that every story has gaps within it. Writers circles’ are filled with those who lament that the story does not “flow” in an entertaining manner; in fact, this problem is so pervasive that there are support groups for writers who are afflicted by “writer’s block.” Such moments can be the height of frustration for writers wed to that sultry siren or witch called historical accuracy. Alas, the demonic entity does not possess every writer in the same manner. Those constructors of “historical fiction” have well-established means of dealing with that thing called historical facts. They use an Excalibur called “literary license” to free their pen in ways that are unimaginable to others. This literary device is as common in Hollywood as actors or a script. 

One needs to look no further than Spike Lee’s iconic Malcolm X blockbuster film for verification of the use of “creative license.” Fortunately for Lee, his movie, rife with moments of “historical fiction,” was wildly celebrated by adoring Black audiences for a host of reasons. 

I am confident that if one interviewed the writers of Spike Lee’s Malcolm X regarding how they conquered the Herculean task of abbreviating Malcolm’s heroic life to fit on the “big screen,” the words “literary license” would figure prominently in that discussion. Although I am not psychic, I guarantee you that a significant portion of that discussion would revolve around “Brother Baines.” 

Let’s be clear on this matter, “Brother Baines” is birthed through “creative license” and used to push the riveting story along. “Brother Baines” is the bridge between Malcolm’s incarceration to his arrival and exit from the Nation of Islam. Any decent writer of “historical fiction” will tell you that such characters are a convenient tool used to move a story along without introducing a slew of characters that will slow momentum by confusing viewers.  

These attacks on Harriet reveal a disappointing reality that many can not distinguish between a scholarly book/documentary from an edutainment Hollywood biopic. 

In the end, it appears that the critics of Harriet are doing what comes natural to them; that being, providing criticism that is neither constructive nor address the major issue of presenting stories capable of capturing the minds of young African-Americans. Such critics are ironically serving as a roadblock to the process of sparking the imagination of Black youth to a large audience. Who knows if this exposure will serve as the impetus to them exploring the Black experience in an uncommon manner. Sadly, this unwise course of action, caused by a conventional literary device that they do not understand, threatens to seal a reasonable path to develop a bourgeoning interest in African-American studies among American youth. 

What a blind and stupid people we can be at inopportune times.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

African-American History

Why the Call for a Boycott of Harriet by Black Activists is an Unwise Decision that Threatens Us All

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Two decades of serving as an African-American Studies Professor has placed me on the frontlines of education. It is from this position that I have witnessed a most unfortunate shift in the educational arena.

Although I have worked primarily with African-American students, I believe that the alluded to disappearance of the serious reader has occurred among non-Black student populations as well. Put simply; many students possess neither the discipline nor patience to sit down, devoid of distractions such as cell phones, and engage a book in a substantial manner. As an educator, I can attest to the fact that this shift has been in a word, disheartening.

In many ways, it is laughable that this shift has occurred at the very moment that there has been unfathomable access to information via the internet. I am sure that I am not the only professor whose lectures have been altered by the stated resistance to reading. Not only have my lectures changed but also my understanding of the worth of scholarly studies that appear in University presses and academic journals. A trusted colleague recently stated after lecturing about a recent publication he spent years researching and writing.

“Man, ain’t nobody reading this shit.”

Although most academicians would love to push back against that sentiment, we each begrudgingly realize that there is much truth in such sentiments as the average citizen will never engage such intellectualism.

It is my students shortened attention span that led me to the belief that the arrival of films and documentaries such as I Am Not Your Negro, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Birth of a Nation would provide a path for this latest generation of African-Americans to be made aware of their history and the bounty of intellectuals who have dedicated their lives to illuminating our glorious, yet stony, past.

Alas, my optimism has been dashed by a call for a boycott of the recently released Harriet. As a historian, I cringe at the thought of what I believe is our most reliable means of reaching non-readers being criticized for befuddling reasons. I can do little more than sigh as the referenced population nitpicks at Harriet for things such as:

  • The appearance of a Black “slave catcher”
  • The murder of a Black female character by a Black Male
  • The insinuation of a romantic relationship between a slave-holding white male and Minty.
  • The absence of a visual display of the brutality endemic to the system of American chattel slavery.

The voluminous criticism of Harriet by a vocal minority speaks volumes regarding their inability to differentiate between a documentary and a Hollywood film designed to be edutainment — partially educational, yet overwhelmingly entertaining. Looming even larger is the unfortunate reality that the proposed boycott threatens to abort both in-progress and yet to be “greenlighted” projects dealing with the Black experience.

As the so-called “woke” community argues among itself regarding Harriet, they fail to remember earlier criticisms regarding the dearth of Black stories on the big screen. It is a wicked circular argument that they engage in that begins with (a) the criticism of Hollywood for not placing stories of Black (s)heroes on the big screen, (b) criticism of Hollywood for placing “whitewashed” Black History on the big screen. Not even the in-depth involvement of Blacks in the creation and debut of the film silences such foolishness. I guess that it is true that you cannot satisfy everyone.  

This unwise never-ending unfruitful course of action threatens to create an insurmountable roadblock for the sharing of Black stories in the technology-driven new millennium. It is time for us to face facts, movies such as Harriet are going to be the most accessible path to expose succeeding generations of Black children to the heroic stories and tales of our people. As mentioned above, these stories appearing on the big screen are merely edutainment, emphasis on entertainment, and therefore must be supplemented with lessons from parents, teachers, and the larger community. I hope that those who have unwisely chosen to call for a boycott of Harriet will abandon that endeavor and realize that it will be the most reliable means that Black children will be introduced to this grand ancestor.

I hope that we can agree that Harriet serves as the catalyst to a conversation that would have never occurred in many homes had she never made it to the big screen. However, if foolish boycotts that serve the interests of no one in our community are successful, the recent explosion in Black cinema may come to an abrupt and most unfortunate end.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

© Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2019

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