Black in Period Films

Martha Bennett is a slave played by Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Salli Richardson-Whitfield as Martha. Her story is an interesting one. We get a lot of character development. Martha is given to Georgia as a wedding gift. Turns out Martha is Georgia's cousin. Her owner and father is Georgia's uncle. Martha remained a slave because if her father had given her her freedom she would have been taken by someone else and sold back into slavery (that's the story they're going with anyway). During most of the movie there is a struggle between Martha and Georgia. They have to learn how to balance the slave-master dynamic as blood cousins.  Martha is given to Georgia as a wedding gift. Turns out Martha is Georgia's cousin. Her owner and father is Georgia's uncle. Martha remained a slave because if her father had given her her freedom she would have been ta...

A slave of Georgia's family. Played by Tony Todd. Ed Tom is seen at the beginning of the movie when the main characters are young so he has been with the same family for a long time. Tony Todd as Ed Tom When Georgia gets married he and Martha go to be slaves in Georgia's home. He tells Martha that since she's been around his life has been looking up. This makes sense because he now has someone he loves to live for. He is given background characterization when we find out he used to belong to a very cruel master and is content with his home now.  "If I gotta be a slave this the best place for me to be." ~ Ed Tom Ain't they cute?!  Him and Martha have a son named Lee. Ed Tom is a loving mate(not sure if Martha and Ed Tom were allowed to get married) and father. They receive their freedom when the Emancipation Proclamation passes. Ed Tom utters another thought provoking and powerful quote when he says this: ...

Tidly is a slave owned by the main character Euphemia Ashby. Her characterization is the worst out of all the   characters I'm considering. Khadijah Karriem as Tildy I say her characterization is the worse because WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HER!! All we know is that she's a slave. The Ashbys consider her family (but let's be serious I'm sure most slave owners felt that way). All of her actions are reactions to the actions of various white characters. Also she falls victim to the smiling slave syndrome. Tildy is smiling about 90% of the time she's on screen. Have a look: Look really close. She's there towards the left. Smiling There are however times when she doesn't smile. Like when she gets terrorized by the Comanche Indians* Or at funerals. Or when Phoebe is in labor. The relationship between Phoebe (Euphemia's nickname) is strong. Phoebe stands up for Tildy when her brother gets angry w...

Josiah belongs to the Lawshe family. He lives comfortably in a house of his own with his wife Tobe. Tobe is a Native woman from the Creek Nation. I thought this pairing was very interesting and something I haven't seen in any other film. Charles S. Dutton as Josiah Irene Bedard as Tobe He traveled with Georgia's grandfather when he visited the Creek Indians.  My guess is that this is how Josiah and Tobe meet. I can't be sure however because they never say how they meet. I think his wife delivers one of the most powerful lines in the series.  He wants Tobe to rejoin her people so she'll be safe and she says: "If the white man must exile my people, if he must make slaves of your people and if my family despises the darkness of your skin where can we go?" Their relationship is so beautiful. Even without tons of characterization the love between them is clear. Sadly Josiah's story ends ...