Return to main page
Many Rivers to Cross
African-American history has played an integral role in the shaping of politics, economics, and culture in the United States. Growing up, how did you learn about the accomplishments and struggles of African Americans? Were you in a classroom? Reading a book? Talking with relatives or friends? How has your understanding or knowledge of African-American history changed and/or developed over time? What do you think is the most effective way to pass along this rich and growing history to future generations?

Sophia Encarnacion

Dear Henry Louis Gates Jr,
Thank you so much for producing this film!!! I really could see all the heart that you put into making this film. I learned so much about slavery just from the first episode! You really inspired me to study more on this topic. You really opened my eyes to something that I was blind to… how bad slavery really was.
All my life before watching this documentary I thought that slavery was just whites coming and forcing African Americans to work for them. Now I know that that was only part of it. There was torturing, killing, and stuff even worse.
So I would like to thank you for showing me the difference. Now I MUST talk about the film!
One topic that really intrigued me was learning how slaves were considered property not people. I thought that was COMPLETELY absurd! “Who would have ever think that!?!?” I kept asking myself while watching the movie. I think that a comment like that should have been undone by kind words not crueler words. I know that a ton of people believed that statement, but then again some did not.
I did cry once after I heard those words, It just made me want to go back in time and scream at anyone who ever said that. As we were watching the movie, I was praying to myself that if I was ever born in that horrible time I would be an abolitionist. I would buy slaves, then free them.
I mainly noticed (besides all the horrid things) that whenever something good happens there’s fun, happy music, and when then when something really bad happens the music changes to sad, and meloncholy music, then something bad happens.
I think that’s a really great strategy, when you’re trying to prove a point about how bad things have really gotten.
For example, when Abe Lincoln started reconstuction it was going to be a great step. Then when Lincoln died reconstruction STOPPED!!! I mean seriously! If you’re president wanted to start something important wouldn’t you keep it going, even if he/she died?! But the sad truth was that most people didn’t agree with Lincoln.
So I thought that this compare and contrast strategy was very effective and a really smart thing to do. P.S if I ever make a film I’m going to use this strategy.
During the film, I think that the whole problem with “Jim Crow” really stood out to me in a big way. What I mean by that is, when I heard that “Jim Crow owned the boot around slave’s necks” I thought that Jim Crow was a person, not a thing. I thought that “Jim Crow” was a ruthless, and brutal man who thought that all blacks should be slaves. Just like when I heard that someone “KIlled Jim Crow” I thinking, finally someone stopped him! But I wonder who it was?
Then later in the day my teacher, Ms. Cyphers said that Jim Crow was actually a LAW and not a person. At first, I was relieved that it wasn’t some cruel person. But then I realized that if it was a law, then a couple of people had to agree on it. Then it made it WAY more deprssing knowing a few people came together just to make that law.
Now, I think we all know that “Jim Crow” was a bad thing, but let’s talk about all the deaths, murderings, and… lynchings. I absolutely HATE those three words! I keep trying not to say them, but after learning about slavery, I know that sadly, there were a lot of deaths. Especially African Americans. I know that whites did get murdered, but still most slaves were bought, then they worked for their owner, then they got tortured or killed. But back then it was LEGAL!!! I just couldn’t believe it!
So those are some of the many facts that I learned about slavery. Thank you SOOOOOO much for sharing these facts. You rock more than the movie! And that was the most AWESOME, AMAZING, and BRILLIANT film! Thank you again for everything.

Sincerely,
Sophia Encarnacion

Return to main page