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The Racial Politics of Sally Hemings
What we might call "Reel American history" often has a political agenda. Peter Rollins says that "Hollywood has often attempted to influence history by turning out films consciously designed to change public attitudes." Such is the case with the Sally Hemings film. African American Tina Andrews envisions her Hemings as "the voice of the silenced" expressing outrage against Jefferson to "further dialogue between the races."
Here are some things she has said about her film:
-- "This story is of a man and a woman, who despite their vast cultural differences, despite the adversity they faced and the secrecy they were forced to maintain, remained devoted to each other. My hope is that the movie will further the dialogue between the races, that the sons and daughters of slaves and the sons and daughters of slave owners will come together and talk honestly about the past -- accept it, learn from it and grow closer together."
-- "In the course of my research, I read [Jefferson's] incendiary Notes on the State of Virginia. . . . The book sent me into a rage from which I would never recover. After reading that tome, I realized the dramatic Sally Hemings had to also read that book somewhere in the screenplay and speak out. She had to become the voice for all of the slaves and freed blacks in America, then and now. She had to express outrage at Jefferson and his racist, divisive view about Blacks and their contribution (or lack of according to him) to American culture. She had to become the voice of the silenced.
Is Andrews' agenda a good thing? Why? Why not? If it is a good thing, is it successful. Why? Why not? Where specifically do you see the agenda in operation?
