BOOK OF NEGROES, THE: EPISODE 3 (TV)
Summary
The third installment in this six-part miniseries, based on the book by Lawrence Hill, about the life of a young woman kidnapped from Africa and sold into slavery in America. In this episode, Aminata heads for Manhattan with Solomon, who longs to resume their friendly relationship, though Aminata spots a community of free blacks living in Canvas Town and begins to plot her escape. She meets inn owner Sam Fraunces, set free by his father as a teen, and he encourages her to stay in New York rather than attempting to return to Africa and risking capture. When rebellion breaks out between the colonists and the Tories, Sam urges her to take advantage of the chaos to escape, as Solomon will be forced to leave quickly before the harbor is closed. Aminata hides in the forest, like the one from which she was stolen many years ago, and then returns to Sam, who tells her to find his friend Claiborne in Canvas Town and to watch out for bounty hunters searching for escaped slaves. Claiborne and his sweetheart Bertilda are impressed with Aminata's education, and she soon begins teaching the people of Canvas Town to read while also working at Sam's inn for wages.
America declares its independence in 1776, and Aminata, who trusts neither side, is surprised when Sam delivers supplies to the rebels, and she finds herself assisting with the treatment of the grievously wounded soldiers. She is thrilled when Chekura finds her yet again, though he refuses to believe that the long-missing May is truly dead. Sam is taken aback when Chekura reveals himself to be a Loyalist, and Aminata reads an edict from the British aloud to the people of Canvas Town explaining that they will be made free if they join the fight against the rebels. Sam argues in support of George Washington, though Aminata points out that Washington himself owns slaves. A British soldier, Lieutenant Waters, recruits Aminata's midwife services for his young lover, Rosetta, though the girl states that she has no interest in the child and cares only about staying with Waters. Aminata then learns that Chekura and a few others have agreed to fight for the British after all, feeling that the Americans have promised them nothing, and Aminata is distraught at the idea of losing her husband as well as her child.
Many on both sides die in battle, and Freddy soon returns and reports seeing Chekura shot. Determined to find him, Aminata begs Sam's help in reaching the front lines, and he fools the soldiers by stating that they are delivering supplies to Benedict Arnold's men. Aminata finds Chekura close to death, but she nurses him back to health and soon learns that the Americans have won the decisive Battle of Saratoga and have been joined by the French. The British eventually surrender at Yorktown and everyone celebrates, though Aminata knows that she and the other escaped slaves are now in even more danger of recapture. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: BET
- DATE: 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:41:14
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 122135
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, historical; Miniseries
- SERIES RUN: BET - TV series, 2015
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Carrie Stein … Executive Producer
- Margaret O'Brien … Executive Producer
- Daniel Iron … Executive Producer
- Michael Levine … Executive Producer
- Damon D'Oliveira … Executive Producer
- Lance Samuels … Executive Producer
- Bill Niven … Executive Producer
- Clement Virgo … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- Adam Friedlander … Co-Producer
- Roberto Biagi … Co-Producer
- Armand Leo … Co-Producer
- Aeschylus Poulos … Co-Producer
- Justin Giallonardo … Associate Producer
- Margaret Harrison … Line Producer
- Manny Danelon … Line Producer
- Kate McColeman … Visual Effects Producer
- Lawrence Hill … Based on the book by
- Philip Miller … Music by
- Aunjanue Ellis … Cast, Aminata Diallo
- Lyriq Bent … Cast, Chekura Tiano
- Allan Hawco … Cast, Solomon Lindo
- Cara Ricketts … Cast, Bertilda
- Dwain Murphy … Cast, Claiborne
- Cuba Gooding Jr. … Cast, Sam Fraunces
- Armand Aucamp … Cast, Lieutenant Waters
- Jeremy Akerman … Cast, Field Surgeon
- Lemogang Tsipa … Cast, Canvas Town Freddy
- Mouna Traore … Cast, Rosetta
- Gharrett Paon … Cast, Rebel Boy
- Chris April … Cast, Canvas Town Old Man
- Garrow Hill-Stotsky … Cast, Broadway Patriot
- Adrian Collins … Cast, Militia Warrior #1
- Bjorn Steinbach … Cast, Militia Warrior #2
- Myriam Makhala … Cast, Bertilda's Baby
- Ira Henderson … Cast, American Hooligan
- David Rossetti … Cast, British Officer
- Matt MacDonald … Cast, Rebel Warrior
- Liam Cyr … Cast, Amputated Soldier