BOOK OF NEGROES, THE: EPISODE 2 (TV)
Summary
The second installment in this six-part miniseries, based on the book by Lawrence Hill, about the life of a young woman kidnapped from Africa and sold into slavery in America. In this episode, Georgia warns Aminata, who has secretly learned to read English, never to be alone with Appleby. As "sick season" approaches, Georgia inoculates Aminata against smallpox, and she dreams of Chekura as she fights off the illness. The other slaves urge her to "let go of that Africa thing," but Aminata remains determined to escape her situation, and she soon meets Solomon Lindo, a Jewish merchant who politely questions her about Appleby's indigo business. Solomon's wife Rosa is taken with the intelligent young woman and secretly asks her if she can read, assuring Aminata that she is trustworthy. Appleby continues pursuing Aminata, but Georgia intervenes and then reveals that a young man has arrived in search of her, and Aminata is overjoyed to be reunited with Chekura after many years apart. He gives her a gift and promises to return as soon as he can next escape, though Appleby guesses that she is involved with someone and soon forces himself on her.
Aminata continues studying English and meeting with Chekura in secret, and they eventually wed in an unofficial "jumping the broom" ceremony. She soon falls pregnant, and Appleby furiously humiliates her in front of the other slaves by cutting off her hair, reminding her that he "owns" her child as well. Georgia delivers Aminata's daughter, who is clearly Chekura's child and not Appleby's, and when Chekura visits late at night, Aminata tells him that she has named their daughter May. The family's brief happiness is destroyed when Appleby sells baby May to an unknown person, and though Georgia attempts to rouse a devastated Aminata, Appleby informs her that he has sold her as well to "the Jew." Georgia bids her a sad farewell, reminding her that she is "not killable," and Solomon assures her that she will be more servant than slave, stating that they are both "outsiders" from white Christian society. Rosa treats her with kindness, though has no answers when Aminata begs for information of May's whereabouts. Solomon offers to teach her accounting, noting that they are "not far apart" in their Jewish and Muslim faiths, and Rosa soon gets the idea to ask William King, a prominent slavetrader, about May. Aminata is disturbed by the sight of other slaves at the market, and King suggests that May was sold to a Mr. Scott.
Rosa and Aminata visit the Scott plantation, though are rudely rebuffed by Mrs. Scott, and Aminata is heartbroken to find that May is not there after all. Chekura manages to find her again and the lovers happily reunite, though Aminata is saddened when Rosa and her child die in another smallpox outbreak. Solomon prepares to travel to New York for business, but Aminata is shocked to learn from Chekura that Solomon actually assisted in the sale of May and received a fee. She furiously confronts him about his betrayal, and he heatedly declares that he gave the child a better life than she would have had by Aminata's side, though claims that she too then died of smallpox. Undeterred, Aminata demands to accompany him to New York. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: BET
- DATE: November 30, 1999 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:41:06
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 122134
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, historical; Miniseries
- SERIES RUN: BET - TV series, 2015
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Carrie Stein … Executive Producer
- Margaret O'Brien … Executive Producer
- Daniel Iron … Executive Producer
- Michael Levine … Executive Producer
- Damon D'Oliveira … Executive Producer
- Lance Samuels … Executive Producer
- Bill Niven … Executive Producer
- Clement Virgo … Executive Producer, Director, Writer
- Adam Friedlander … Co-Producer
- Roberto Biagi … Co-Producer
- Armand Leo … Co-Producer
- Aeschylus Poulos … Co-Producer
- Kate McColeman … Visual Effects Producer
- Justin Giallonardo … Associate Producer
- Lawrence Hill … Based on the book by
- Philip Miller … Music by
- Aunjanue Ellis … Cast, Aminata Diallo
- Lyriq Bent … Cast, Chekura Tiano
- Allan Hawco … Cast, Solomon Lindo
- Greg Byrk … Cast, Robertson Appleby
- Sandra Caldwell … Cast, Georgia
- Amy Louise Wilson … Cast, Rosa Lindo
- Antonio David Lyons … Cast, Happy Jack
- Shailyn Pierre-Dixon … Cast, Young Aminata
- Siya Xaba … Cast, Young Chekura
- Erica Wessels … Cast, Mrs. Scott
- Robin Smith … Cast, William King
- Trudy van Rooy … Cast, Mrs. Scott's Wet Nurse