Frederick Douglass, a world-renowned author, orator and activist had a major impact on Scotland.
His lifelong mission was to 'tell the story of the slave' and when he fled to the UK after exposing his slaveholders’ name and deeds, he fell in love with Scotland and the Scots fell in love with him. At the time the Scots saw Douglass as the icon of the freedom struggle.
It’s only now that Scotland is finally acknowledging this.
STRIKE FOR FREEDOM - FREDERICK DOUGLASS IN SCOTLAND is a highly acclaimed 15minute film
To mark Black History Month in the USA and Canada we are screening this film during February 2023! Please click here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/douglassscotland
Click on the Vimeo link above to watch on Vimeo. All proceeds will be put into making more films about Scotland’s links to to Slavery.
FILM TOUR AND SCREENINGS
This film launched its tour at the Edinburgh University Playfair Library in October 2019 and then screened around Scotland during Black History Month October 2019 at places such as the Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow, Dundee Contemporary Art Dundee, Inverness Film Festival, Scottish universities and libraries. The film was then shown alongside US drama ‘Harriet’ in Scottish cinemas. Its US premiere was at the New York African Diaspora International Film Festival in December 2020. It was then chosen to screen in the Lift Off Festival in London in 2020, and the Africa in Motion Film Festival autumn 2021. It is now being shown in schools and colleges in Scotland and the US. It screened at Edinburgh Filmhouse in March 2022 alongside BAFTA winning ‘Scotland, Slavery & Statues’.
This film was produced and directed by Parisa Urquhart, edited by Ling Lee & filmed by Fraser Rice. The dubbing mix was by Tom Drew, Drone by Airborne lens and colour Grade by Stephen Horne. EMI music.
Many thanks to Professor Celeste Bernier, Walter O & Linda Evans Collection, The University of Edinburgh and the National Library of Scotland and the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Image of Mural of Douglass above painted by @TrenchOne
FUTURE SCREENINGS
Please make contact if you would like to screen this film as part of your festival or event.
Further Information on Douglass can be found here:
The international Project "Our Bondage and Our Freedom" took place in 2018-19 during the 200-year anniversary of the birth of Frederick Douglass. This international project draws together academics, activists, archivists, curators, teachers and artists to discuss the activism and authorship not only of Frederick Douglass himself but of his wife, his daughters and his sons.
“Frederick Douglass in Britain and Ireland” website has a wealth of information on Douglass’s time here in the UK. http://frederickdouglassinbritain.com
If I Survive: Frederick Douglass and Family in the Walter O. Evans Collection. A book written by Prof Celeste Bernier and Andrew Taylor on Douglass and his family unearthing world exclusive archive from the Walter O. Evans Collection.
Frederick Douglass and Scotland, 1846 Living an Antislavery Life Written by Alasdair Pettinger. Alasdair has a wealth of knowledge of Douglass’s time in Scotland. Please see his blog here.
Press release from Historic Environment Scotland about erecting a plaque in honour of Frederick Douglass