Invisible History: Florida's Hidden Roots (2021)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Invisible History: Middle Florida’s Hidden Roots

 

This documentary film premiered on US television (PBS) in 2021. It is about the life and death of African Americans before, during and after the Civil War (1861-1865).

 

Here is some basic information about this film:

 

** Producer and director: Valerie Scoon

** Writers: Valerie Scoon and Theresa Marsenburg

** Narrator: Tyra Ferrell (born 1962)

** Language: English

** Subtitles: English

** Run time: 54 minutes

 

Several persons are interviewed in this film. Here are the names of the participants. Listed in alphabetical order:

 

** Na’im Akbar – Clinical Psychologist, retired professor, Florida State University

 

** Althemese Barnes – Executive Director, John Gilmore Riley Center & Museum

 

** Alexander D. Brickler – Doctor, Tallahassee (retired)

 

** John Finlayson – descendant of a plantation owner in Florida

 

** Jonathan Grandage – Executive Director, Grove Museum

 

** Maxine Jones – Professor of History, Florida State University

 

** Lonnie Mann – anthropologist, Tallahassee, Florida

 

** Patrick L. Mason – Director of African American Studies, Florida State University

 

** Larry E. Rivers – Professor of History and Politics, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

 

** Bill Walter – Docent and Board Member, Goodwood Museum & Gardens

 

This film is divided into ten chapters.

Here are the headlines:

 

# 01. Introduction

# 02. Early Florida

# 03. Florida’s Capitol

# 04. The Economics of Human Property

# 05. Building Tallahassee

# 06. Acts Concerning Slaves

# 07. Emancipation & Reconstruction (1865-1877)

# 08. The Rise of Jim Crow (1877-1965)

# 09. Economic Legacy

# 10. A More Visible History

 

In 1776, when the United States was proclaimed, Florida was ruled by Spain. But around 1800, Spain was on the way out and the US was prepared to move in and take control of the former Spanish territory.

 

Negotiations for the transfer of the land from Spain to the US were held in 1819. A treaty was concluded in that year. It was effective from 1821.

 

Florida was an American territory 1821-1845. Statehood was obtained in 1845. Since that year, Florida has been a member of the union of American states.

 

In this film, the history of Middle Florida is told in great detail, with special focus on the life and death of the African American population in the territory.

 

This film is about slavery in Middle Florida and the legacy of slavery in that state. What happened in Middle Florida is a microcosm of what happened in all southern states. The history of Middle Florida illustrates what happened in all southern states.

 

The history presented in this film is relevant if you wish to understand how the institution of slavery shaped the history of the US.

 

In this film, we get to meet several persons who are connected with the history of Middle Florida:

 

# 1. Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) was a French general who fought for the independence of the USA during the revolutionary war (1775-1783).

 

Members of the US Congress wanted thank him for his contribution to the struggle for American independence. In 1824, they passed an act to grant him a substantial amount of money (200,000 dollars) and a large tract of land (23,000 acres) in Florida.

 

But Lafayette never lived in Florida. He never even visited Florida. He never saw the tract of land which was donated to him. It was sold off step by step. By 1855 all his land had been sold.

 

# 2. Prince Achille Murat (1801-1847) was a nephew of the famous French politician Napoleon Bonaparte.

 

In 1822, at the age of 21, he emigrated to the United States where he lived in different locations. In 1824, he moved to Florida where he bought some land. In 1828, he became a US citizen. He died in Florida in 1847.

 

# 3. Richard Keith Call (1792-1862) was a plantation owner and a slaveowner. His plantation named the Grove has been turned into a public museum.

 

# 4. Bryan Hardy Croom (1797-1837) was a plantation owner and a slaveowner. His plantation named Goodwood has been turned in to a public museum.

 

# 5. James Page (1808-1883) was an African American minister and political leader. He was born as a slave in Virginia. In 1838, his owner John Parkhill transported him to Florida where he owned a plantation.

 

When James Page became a minister, Parkhill gave him a plot of land where he could build a church. From 1865 to 1870, minister Page organized the Bethel Baptist Church in Tallahassee, the capital of Florida.

 

# 6. John Gilmore Riley (1857-1926) was a prominent African American educator, businessman, and civic leader in Tallahassee.

 

He was born into slavery. As an adult, became the principal of Lincoln Academy. He held this post for more than thirty years (1893-1926). His home has been turned into a public museum.

 

What do reviewers say about this film?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 74 percent.

 

The topic is important. The story deserves to be told, and in this film, it is done quite well.

 

I understand the positive rating on IMDb and I agree with it. In my opinion, this film deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).

 

REFERENCES

 

# 1. Books

 

Slavery in Florida:

Territorial Days to Emancipation

By Larry Eugene Rivers

(2000 = hardcover)

(2009 = paperback)

 

Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II

By Douglas A. Blackmon

(2008)

 

# 2. Film and video

 

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

A four-part documentary film

(2002)

 

Up from Slavery

A seven-part documentary film

(2011)

 

Slavery by Another Name

A documentary film

Based on the book by Douglas A. Blackmon

(2012)

 

Emancipation Road

A seven-part documentary film

(2014)

 

*****

John Gilmore Riley Center & Museum

Tallahassee

Florida

 

*****

Grove Museum

Tallahassee

Florida

 

*****

Goodwood Museum & Gardens

Tallahassee

Florida

 

*****

Bethel Baptist Church

Tallahassee

Florida

 

*****