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January 30, 2004

February is Black History Month 

I mentioned several 2004 celebrations last week and today I want to bring one more to your attention and tell you about a related new television film I recently previewed. I have written before about how thousands of blacks came to South East Ontario through Amherstburg or across the Detroit River via the Underground Railway. Slavery had been partially curtailed here in 1793 and fully in 1833. There was some bias even after that so blacks gathered in enclaves in places like Chatham and Dresden. A complete black community was established at Buxton Ontario and many blacks remain there today. Buxton is a National Historical Site and has a fine Museum and annual homecoming each year. I visited Buxton with my grandson last summer and enjoyed it very much especially our visit with Museum Curator Sharon Prince.

Doug Mackey's grandson Ariel with Buxton Museum Curator Sharon Prince. Doug Mackey Photo

A powerful new 30 minute film called Buxton will premiere on TV Ontario on Feb 1 at 7:30 to kick off Black History Month. (It is ironic that this will be right in the middle of the Super Bowl where 150 years after the Underground Railway most of the players are black, well paid and highly respected by millions.)

The new film is the first of a series of 13 films that will tell the story of ethnic groups from a strong female perspective. In the case of Buxton the story centres on a radiant and articulate 16 year old black girl Toni Parker from Buxton whose great great grandmother Eliza Parker was a well known figure in black history.

Toni Parker at the gravesite of her great great grandmother Eliza Parker. Mark Hill Photo

Eliza as a teenager fled in a daring escape from Maryland, one of the non-abolitionist states to the freedom of Pennsylvania. The Fugitive Slave Act allowed slave owners to pursue slaves and black self defense leagues were formed to resist them. In one of these confrontations Eliza and her sister and other blacks fought in the Christiana Riots and fled to Ontario in a fascinating story told in the film. Eliza led a long life in Buxton and died at age 82 leaving 10 children.

Great Great Grandaughter Toni, to learn more about her history, makes contact with a historian from Christiana, Pennsylvania and an author who wrote a book on the riots and learned a lot about Eliza. We get to share and admire the story as it unfolds.

The Civil War which brought freedom to blacks in the U.S. drew many Ontario blacks back but many stayed. An Annual Buxton Homecoming brings Ontario and U.S. blacks and others together each year. One of the best parts of the film shows the reenactment of past events at the homecoming. Sharon Prince, the Curator of the Museum is one of the featured players. Sharon, Toni and Ella Forbes who wrote the Christiana book are strong and confident black women who are proud of their history. They gain our respect as I am sure adults and students will when they see the film.

The film crew also visited Uncle Tom's Cabin, the home of Josiah Henson whose history prompted the writing of the famous Uncle Tom's Cabin book. The film shows some of the shackles and torture devices used to control slaves at one time.

The Buxton film ends with Toni Parker on the boardwalk on the Detroit River where she thinks about her great great grandmother and later places flowers at her gravesite.

The film and the 12 others in production are produced, directed, written and narrated by award winner Susan Poizner. The crew of her company Think Stock Inc. is very multicultural bringing an authenticity to the series called Mother Tongue (see mothertongue.ca)

This film and the others will be available to schools through an educational distributor and to individuals by contacting Susan Poizner through www.susanpoizner.com 

The film will also be shown on TVO on February 7th at 12.30, on Canadian Learning Television on February 19 and Book television on February 12 & 22. Check your local listings for those dates.

For further information on Black History Month check the Web under Black History Month. As a sign of the success of initiative you will note that there are over 1 million items listed.

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