where is the film on harriet tubman? >> right. >> plenty of harriets we could write films about.'m saying where, we think of these stories. when i was working in the '90s in hollywood and was in a meeting talking about these wonderful stories this was preamistad i remember and it was talking about all these great stories. i got involved in a project very painful about richard m. johnson and they kept pushing the story about his concubine and daughters and it was like, would it, could it, should it? at that early age i couldn't bear because when you say you're consulting you go to meetings and then the film comes out. >> right. >> some people they do invite in to look at it but my first viewing of lincoln was at a premiere in gettysburg. i just closed my eyes and crossed my fingers. >> it was great. >> but you do not know that there will be something that is -- but at the same time i think we have to keep trying. in the '90s i proposed several films with black women as protaganists and was told the three black actresses that could carry a television film and at that time none of t

the underground railroad represented harriet tubman. harriet tubman was given tremendous praise for being that pioneer who basically lived her life to free the slaves. what is also overlooked is that those free houses that those people put up for the slaves to stay at and to hide them and to get them up to the north and get them to canada were regular people, regular people. nothing special. but the commonality was that they were good human beings. when we talk, the three of us, and i want to emphasize this. we always talk about the category of good human beings before we talk about white, black, whatever. and that becomes important in being a man because if i have a charity in my soul or the wisdom to recognize goodness in people, then i'm a man, a man of god, a man of trying to do the right thing. therefore, nothing you can do or say to me will change my attitude about my manhood. over the years, the biggest problem that we have had in this country is whenever you stand up for the right thing, even though it's for the overall populous

there was a harriet tubman film. with sicily tyson. that is there, too.there are these films available to us that should really be part of the discussion. >> oh, definitely. >> question. yes? >> i am ashley from brown university. i had a question that will build on something that you just said and mentioned. i'm wondering if you could talk about the role medium plays. we are talking about film and i am wondering why there are not great representations of slavery in television. i am thinking particularly of the current trends for contemporary westerns. "hell on wheels," a show i like. everyone should watch them so they keep getting made. also "deadwood" where former , slaves appear, not until the third season. i am wondering why television does not seem to lend itself given that we are in the supposed renaissance of american tv with all of the money and attention going there. >> "the hatfields and the mccoys," the biggest hit and made a lot of money. it did well commercially. i take your point. i just remember watching all those made-for-tv movies, many of

harriet jacob, tubman. where are they?when i was working in the 90's in hollywood, i was in a meeting and talking about these wonderful stories -- this was pre-"amistad." talking about all these great stories. i talked about richard m. johnson. they kept pushing the story of his concubine and his daughters. would it? could it? should it? i could not bear because when you are so you were consulting, you go to meetings and in the film comes out. invite to look at it but my first view of "linconlln" was a premier at gettysburg. i just close my eyes and cross my fingers. you don't know -- at the same time, we have to keep trying. in the 1990's, i propose several films as black women as protagonists and i was told of the three actresses who could carry a television film. at that time, none of them -- their levels were not high enough. i introduced them to my discussion the way in which i think african-american actresses have been marginalized. there have been people like lupita come forward and be so political in her speaking a

where is the film on harriet jacobs or harriet tubman? lenty of harriet it is we could write films about. i'm saying we think of these stories. when i was working in the '90s in hollywood and in a meeting, talking about these wonderful stories, this was pre-amistad, and it was talking about all these great stories. i got involved in a project, very painful, about richard m. johnson, you know, they kept pushing the story about his concube iron and daughters, and it was like would it, could it, should it? at that early age i couldn't bear. when you say you're consulting, you go to meetings, and then the film comes out. some people, they do invite in to look at it, but my first viewing of "lincoln" was at a premiere, and i just closed my eyes and crossed my fingers. you do not know there will be, you know, something thats -- but at the same time i think we have to keep trying. ? the '90s i proposed several films with black women and protagonist and i was told the three black actresses that could carry a television film and at that time none o

of course, i would have a weakness for any film that featured two women, marilyn con and harriet tubman but he did motte boast -- not boast as tarantino did of the truth of his slavery. he was clearly fantasizing. on balance i was not taken by tarantino's cinematic film. "django" is a frame by frame freakish homage. the film did include some amazing insights, german slave master, german speaking concubine. the powerful drive of couples to reunite despite obstacles. i could go on and on but these would be measured against the fan as it ma gor call and introduced into the antebellum landscape. this landscape as megan pointed out had a 425 million worldwide box office compared to julie dash's more compelling 1991 portrait, "daughters in the dust" which did $1.6 million in sales. i don't think we really think about things in terms of box office but we need to think of the way multiplex affects things in historic imagination and begun to dominate culture. for many of us sitting this room, the topic of slavery has been part of our work for decades. has any imagination had the film engagement

where is the film on harriet tubman? plenty of harriets we could write about.e think of these stories. when i was working in the '90s in hollywood and i was in a meeting and talking about these wonderful stories -- this was pre-"amistad." i was talking about all these great stories and i got involved in a project about richard m. johnson. they kept pushing the story of his concubine and daughters and it was like, would it, could it, should it? at that age, i couldn't bear -- when you say you're consulting, you go to movies and the film comes out. my first viewing of lincoln was at a premier in gettysburg. i just closed my eyes, crossed my fingers and hope. >> it was great. >> but you do not know that there will be something that is -- but at the same time, i think we have to keep trying. in the '90s, i proposed several films with black women as p protagonists, and i was told of three women who could carry a television line, and at that time their i.q. levels weren't high enough. and i discovered why actresses were so marginalizemarginalized have pita come forwa

from john brown and harriet tubman to eugene debs.nd the legacy continues, with ella baker, martin luther king, malcolm x, and up to today. michelle alexander, on and on. as ella baker said of martin luther king, martin did not make the movement. the movement made martin. we have plenty to do to put our shoulders on the wheel of improving our lives and the lives of others. [applause] >> the debate has taken an interesting turn because we sometimes hear the phrase american exceptionalism. i think one thing you have been hearing today is that in a way, we are talking about two types of exceptionalism. for example if i were to talk , about great americans, i would talk about the wealth creators, benjamin franklin, edison, steve jobs. i think those guys collectively have done more than all the redistributers combined. i'm not saying there is not room for both. i'm just trying to put priority where it belongs. when it comes to tough issues as a country, slavery it is time to , talk a little bit of sense. i think we are at a moment now wher

from john brown and harriet tubman to eugene debs.nd the legacy continues, with ella baker, martin luther king, malcolm x, and up to today. michelle alexander, on and on. as ella baker said of martin luther king, martin did not make the movement. the movement made martin. we have plenty to do to put our shoulders on the wheel of improving our lives and the lives of others. [applause] >> the debate has taken an interesting turn because we sometimes hear the phrase american exceptionalism. i think one thing you have been hearing today is that in a way, we are talking about two types of exceptionalism. for example if i were to talk , about great americans, i would talk about the wealth creators, benjamin franklin, edison, steve jobs. i think those guys collectively have done more than all the redistributers combined. i'm not saying there is not room for both. i'm just trying to put priority where it belongs. when it comes to tough issues as a country, slavery it is time to , talk a little bit of sense. i think we are at a moment now wher

imagination of jonathan swift to believe that this isn't a well-orchestrated -- >> or the courage of harriet tubmanou do this today. >> excuse me. my message would be to those border governors. you know, while they play around in washington, do what's in your authority to protect your borders. >> alex, let me bring you back in here. we're seeing how the debate plays out. this led to some tense moments last night after republican congressman tom moreno from pennsylvania said this about democrats and the issue. let's listen. i'll bring you in here. >> you know something that i find quite interesting about the other side? under the leadership of the former speaker and under the leadership of the former leader, 2009 and 2010, they had the house, the senate, and the white house, and they knew this problem existed. they didn't have the strength to go after it back then. but now, they're trying to make a political issue out of it now. >> now, this led to minority leader nancy pelosi -- i think we have the video. she stormed over to him in congress in the middle of that speech and eventually shook his hand

wendell phillips, harriet tubman with that necessary pistol in her pocket.nd the feminist fighters, sojourner truth and so on. let me ask you two quick questions. taking those last two movements. are you all against slavery? i know i am at dartmouth, but really? [laughter] can ask again, are you against slavery? you would have been against the founding of the country 150 years ago, but we are all good abolitionists now. we are all for a woman's right to vote, right? men? we're all for a woman's right to vote now but if a hundred years ago you'd have been against the founders, the bible, your preacher, the constitution and a lot of -- the law. let's agree, we would have been those good people, but the fact is it takes an imagination to step outside. you don't look at slavery and say, we are better than these other countries. you say, this is something that needs improving. that is how you begin to become an active citizen. you jump into the contradictions as they are, you make a stand for human beings, for human freedom, for justice, yes, for social justice,