Speakers for the Dead

Рет қаралды 18,415

8 жыл бұрын

This documentary reveals some of the hidden history of Blacks in Canada. In the 1930s in rural Ontario, a farmer buried the tombstones of a Black cemetery to make way for a potato patch. In the 1980s, descendants of the original settlers, Black and White, came together to restore the cemetery, but there were hidden truths no one wanted to discuss. Deep racial wounds were opened. Scenes of the cemetery excavation, interviews with residents and re-enactments-including one of a baseball game where a broken headstone is used for home plate-add to the film's emotional intensity.
Directed by Jennifer Holness & David Sutherland - 2000 | 49 min
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Пікірлер: 24

@ontariochurchstories7276 3 жыл бұрын

Great but chilling film. Thanks to the Priceville residents who acted, even if fearful. May the descendants find their people and history righted.

@CharlotteFairchild 3 жыл бұрын

Israel Fairchild, son of Boston Baptist Church Elder Peter (UEL) and wife, Sarah (Lane) Fairchild, and grandson of Daniel Fairchild (UEL), belonged to Cherry Creek Free Will Baptist Church, Cherry Creek, NY. The church was known for being an abolitionist church. 1850 until he died, Israel (Aaron) Fairchild lived in New York. I do not know where he is buried. He was born in Brantford. We think of all black people thinking one way and all white people thinking another way, and it isn't so. Les is an example. Can the concrete be removed to restore desecrated grave markers? Is someone afraid of desecrating the barn? Is the family haunted?

@barbaralopez265 7 жыл бұрын

This is an incredible piece of history that should be put out into the public a little bit more.Thank you for posting

@NikkoYM 8 жыл бұрын

What a fascinating and moving documentary. I wonder what has happened since 1999. I believe it's so important to know who our ancestors are…and I hope that the descendant of the earlier settlers can succeed in their efforts in honoring the deceased. While I was watching this, I thought of my own family history search. I know it's a bit of a tangent, but anyway: doing German genealogy is really difficult because in Germany gravestones are systematically recycled. Quite literally. It makes genealogy in Germany very difficult, and there is an effort by genealogists to try to photograph stones. Anyway, I was really touched by this. My own great great grandparents settled in Canada from England in Collingwood, so I felt extra riveted by this documentary. I hope things have changed in Priceville, and that Mrs. Miller feels more at home in her own community. Very troubling history for their community, hopefully attitudes have improved by now.

@CharlotteFairchild 3 жыл бұрын

My paternal grandmother was Beyer. Her mother-in-law was Bayer. They did not like each other. Bayer was low German and Beyer was high German. DNA has not linked me to anyone yet.

@Ripplin 8 жыл бұрын

I can feel the righteous indignation boiling even just reading the description. :p Sounds fascinating. Thank you.

@scottwallace3549 4 жыл бұрын

We just screened this at our library in Innisfil for Black History Month. I thought it was more recent.

@smalik1959 3 жыл бұрын

I am so touched by your program and effort . May Allah bless you and your team . from U K .

@justincoleman2740 3 жыл бұрын

I live 15 k from there and knew nothing of it. Canada's dirty corners that people hide.

@eternalentertainmenttelevi7069 5 жыл бұрын

Interesting...if it's illegal to dig in graveyards... they need to leave egypt

@CharlotteFairchild 3 жыл бұрын

They dug potatoes for decades. Maybe someone needs to plant potatoes in the stable where the markers have been desecrated. At the very least disrespected.

@davedforrest1914 8 ай бұрын

The truth the gravestones were removed

@leniszameit 2 жыл бұрын

new westminster,bc did some thing alot worse than this to a native cemetary. they plowed over a qayqayt scared burial site along time ago. built a high school over it. in the last few yrs the city apologized to the qayqayt first nation.the old high school is going to be removed n a reconcilation ceremony will take place to the area which was the qayqayt cemetary. 2 schools,a new aquatic centre are named in qayqayt language as part of all this apology.the old school is being dismantled still right now in dec 2021.

@ohenewasassy6776 6 ай бұрын

Can someone please explain to Me why they petitoned

@adelelukss 4 жыл бұрын

39:53 they got jokes!!!

@sparksessence 2 жыл бұрын

It's so easy to say that there was perhaps a promise to grant the land, yet there were no deeds granted to a General Price and his regime. This is so shameful!