When it comes to making history palatable for children, the answer almost always seems to be the animated film. Hollywood has produced its fair share of these types of filmssome of the most famous of which are Pocahontas (1995) and The Prince of Egypt (1996). These films turn the conquest of the Americas into a musical and the story of Moses into a fable that we can all relate to.
But what about something a little closer to home…such as American slavery during the 1800s? How do we even begin to depict an historical account that is not too traumatizing for younger minds?
One filmmaker had an idea to do an animated film on the story of Henry “Box” Brown, who emancipated himself in the early 1800s by mailing himself from the South to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is technically a part of the Underground Railroad’s history even though it doesn’t mention much of Harriet Tubman.
There is quite a bit of creative license here, including a story told from the point of view of birds, and also the use of poetry to tell the story.
Here’s the story of Henry Box Brown:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Box_Brown (Links to an external site.)
And here is the short animated film of his journey to freedom.
Due at the end of Thursday, January 14, 2021
When it comes to making history palatable for children, the answer almost always seems to be the animated film. Hollywood has produced its fair share of these types of filmssome of the most famous of which are Pocahontas (1995) and The Prince of Egypt (1996). These films turn the conquest of the Americas into a musical and the story of Moses into a fable that we can all relate to.
But what about something a little closer to home…such as American slavery during the 1800s? How do we even begin to depict an historical account that is not too traumatizing for younger minds?
One filmmaker had an idea to do an animated film on the story of Henry “Box” Brown, who emancipated himself in the early 1800s by mailing himself from the South to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is technically a part of the Underground Railroad’s history even though it doesn’t mention much of Harriet Tubman.
There is quite a bit of creative license here, including a story told from the point of view of birds, and also the use of poetry to tell the story.
Here’s the story of Henry Box Brown:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Box_Brown (Links to an external site.)
And here is the short animated film of his journey to freedom.
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As you’re watching, think of these two discussion questions:
1. What creative license did you like about the film?
2. What creative license could have been expanded more?
3 . How would you have made the film differently?
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