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starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett, Michael Boatman, Roscoe Lee Browne, Don Cheadledirected by: Thomas Lennon (II), Edward Bell (III), Ed Bell (III)
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9780783123400
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
ISBN: 078312340X
Label: Hbo Home Video
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Hbo Home Video
Release Date: February 11, 2003
Running Time: 75 minutes
Sales Rank: 25560
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: 2002
Related Items:
Editorial Review:
Description:
When the Civil War ended in 1865, more than four million slaves were set free. Over 70 years later, the memories of some 2,000 slave-era survivors were transcribed and preserved by the Library of Congress. These first-person anecdotes, ranging from the brutal to the bittersweet, have been brought to vivid life in this unique HBO documentary special, featuring the on-camera voices of over a dozen top African-American actors.
Amazon.com:
The material used for this beautifully made HBO documentary dates back to the 1930s, when journalists conducted thousands of interviews with former slaves who'd been emancipated at the end of the Civil War. A selection of these faithfully transcribed 'slave narratives' are vividly read (acted, really) here by a host of distinguished performers, ranging from Samuel L. Jackson to Oprah Winfrey, from Don Cheadle to Angela Bassett, with narration by Whoopi Goldberg. Since there's obviously no film available from the slave period, the producers use artfully edited photos, file footage, some atmospheric new film, and shots of the performers in action to bring the material to life. Add all of that to the DVD bonus features (text bios of individual slaves and a couple of lengthy audio segments), and you have a moving record of bitter, weary, yet resilient and quietly proud people living with memories that never would, or could, fade. --Sam Graham
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A truly powerful work.
I bought this for use in my middle school classroom, and am so glad I did. It was so much more powerful than I ever expected. I did not think I could be so affected by what I considered "just more information about slavery". I definitely picked my jaw up off the floor a few times. Having the perspective of actual former slaves, voiced by someone, with actual photos truly made this so touching and educational for myself and my classes, and brought the reality to slavery that nothing I've experienced ... Read More
Rating: - Unchained Memories
This is an amazing video that has famous African-American actors reading the narratives of former slaves as they retold their experience during the American slave movement. The pace is perfect and narratives are intertwined with photos and re-enactments that bring the slave experience to life. Whoopi Goldberg is amazing as the narrator. This video is not only informative, but chilling in its retelling of one of our most traumatic times in American history.
Rating: - Unchained Memories
I love this DVD it is an excellent representation of the plight of African Americans from slavery until present.
Rating: - Slavery Commentaries
Spoken history from those who lived it. Very good book. Interesting. Educational. The facts from the slaves themselves. Awesome reading.
Rating:  - voices from the past
The end of the Civil War in 1865 freed about 4 million slaves in America, a significant number of whom lived into the 1940s. During the Depression, the Federal Writers Project hired people to interview and record first person narratives from these former slaves, the last first-hand resource that could document their experiences. Today the Library of Congress houses 2,000 such interviews, in their original "dialect" and broken English, in the simply-titled Slave Narratives. This film uses original still ... Read More
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