♪ >> WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I AM YOUR HOST.

TONIGHT, PHYLLIS IN BOSTON, AN EXCITING NEW PLAY ABOUT PHYLLIS WHEATLEY, THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO PUBLISH A BOOK OF WITCHERY.

IN THE PLAY -- BOOK OF POETY.

IN THE PLAY WHEATLEY ACHIEVED CELEBRITY STATUS.

BACK IN ENGLAND, BACK IN NEW ENGLAND, THE WRITER IS REUNITED WITH HER COMMUNITY, PARTICIPATING IN VIGOROUS DEBATE ABOUT THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY AND EXAMINING COLONIST OWNERSHIP OF SLAVES, INCLUDING HER MISTRESS, SUSANNA WHEATLEY.

BUT WE LEARN PEOPLE MAY NEVER GET THE CHANCE TO READ HER WORK.

COPIES OF WHEATLEY'’S BOOK ARE STUCK ON THE DARTMOUTH, THE SAME SHIP THAT TRANSPORTED TEA FROM BRITAIN.

PERFORMANCES OF THE PLAYER AT THE HISTORIC OLD SOUTH MEETINGHOUSE, THE SAME GATHERING PLACE WHERE WHEATLEY WORSHIPED.

JOINING US TONIGHT, PLAYWRIGHT OF "PHILLIS IN BOSTON."

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SLAVE QUARTERS IN MEDFORD.

JOSHUA, ACTOR WHO PLAYS PRINCE HALL.

AND ADRIANA, ACTOR WHO PLAYS PHILLIS WHEATLEY.

WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH ME IN WHAT IS GOING TO BE SUCH A RICH CONVERSATION.

AND I WANT TO START IT OFF WITH WHO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHY WE ARE HERE, AND THAT IS PHILLIS WHEATLEY.

I WILL START WITH YOU.

WHO IS PHILLIS WHEATLEY?

>> SHE IS AN AMAZING WOMAN.

SHE WAS A WRITER.

SHE WAS, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE FIRST AFRICAN TO PUBLISH A BOOK OF POETRY IN ENGLISH.

THERE WERE BOOKS OF POETRY PRIOR TO THAT BUT WE THINK SHE WAS THE FIRST TO PUBLISH A BOOK IN ENGLISH.

SHE WAS A TEENAGER WHEN SHE DID IT.

SHE WAS ALSO ENSLAVED.

MY WORK WAS TO TRY TO EXPLORE SOME OF THE CONTRA DISH AND -- THE CONTRADICTIONS THAT MADE HER WORTHY OF OUR ATTENTION.

THE BOOK WAS PUBLISHED IN LONDON IN 1773, NOT FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE.

I LIVE IN HATLEY, EAST LONDON.

HER PUBLISHER, HIS OFFICERS WERE IN OLD GATE -- OFFICES WERE IN ALDGATE, 15 MINUTES FROM WHERE I AM.

ALTHOUGH SHE HAD BEEN PUBLISHED QUITE A BIT IN BOSTON IN PERIODICALS AND PUBLICATIONS, PUBLISHING A BOOK WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH TOO FAR UNFORTUNATELY AT THAT POINT, A BOOK BY A BLACK WOMAN.

SO SHE LEFT BOSTON IN MAY OF 1773.

SHE ARRIVED IN JUNE.

SHE HAD FIVE OR SIX WEEKS BEING FATED AS THE TOAST OF THE TOWN.

SHE RETURNED IN SEPTEMBER.

HER BOOK WAS FOLLOWING HER FROM LONDON ON A SHIP WITH EAST INDIA, 140 CARTONS OF EAST INDIA IDEA.

-- INDIA TEA.

YES, THE BOOK WAS STUCK WHEN THE EVENTS ACROSS BOSTON IN THE U.S.

TOOK PLACE, THE RUN UP TO THE TEA PARTY.

THE 28TH OF NOVEMBER, JUST AROUND THIS TIME, 1773, 250 YEARS AGO, WAS A BIG MOMENT IN HER LIFE, BECAUSE SHE FOUND HER BOOKS WERE POSSIBLY ABOUT TO BE THROWN INTO THE WATER.

WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER AND HISTORY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE MOMENT TO REMEMBER HER.

SHE WAS AT THIS CONFERENCE, CELEBRATING PHILLIS WHEATLEY.

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY HAD A WONDERFUL EVENT WITH BLACK WOMEN WRITERS AROUND THE GLOBE, GATHERED TO CELEBRATE PHILLIS.

THE REASON WHY SO MANY ARE ENGAGED BY HER STORY AND EMBRACE HER IS BECAUSE SHE -- THRIVED ENOUGH TO WRITE I THINK 38 OR 39 POEMS, WHICH WERE INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME.

SHE WAS VERY YOUNG WHEN SHE BEGAN TO WRITE, IN HER TEENS.

AND HER POETRY HAS SURVIVED BECAUSE IT GIVES US INSIGHT INTO HER PERIOD.

LESS INSIGHTS INTO HER OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE SHE DID NOT REALLY WRITE ABOUT HERSELF, BUT SHE WROTE ABOUT THE BOSTON MASSACRE, SHE WROTE ABOUT THE ISSUES AROUND THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE COLONISTS AND THE BRITISH, AND SHE WAS BASICALLY THE POET LAUREATE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION OF THAT TIME.

>> AND I WANT TO TAKE THAT -- FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THAT BREADTH OF WHO SHE IS.

BECAUSE THERE IS PLENTY OF PEOPLE DON'’T KNOW WHO PHILLIS WHEATLEY IS.

AND BRINGING US TO THE PLACE OF WHY SHE IS SIGNIFICANT.

I WANT TO TURN TO YOU.

WE HAVE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT WHY WE SHOULD CARE, BUT TELL US, WHY IS PHILLIS WHEATLEY AND HER WORK AND THIS POETRY SO SIGNIFICANT?

>> I THINK IN MANY WAYS, JUST TO BUILD OFF WHAT ADE SAID, SHE IS A GENIUS.

AND IN SO MANY WAYS I THINK PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE TRIED TO SAY, OH, SHE IS JUST EMULATING THE GRADES.

-- THE GREATS.

BUT NO, SHE WAS GREAT ON HER OWN.

A LOT OF THE NEW WORK THAT HAS COME OUT HAS PUSHED BACK AGAINST THIS IDEA THAT SHE WAS JUST EMULATING ENGLISH STYLES, THE ROMAN CLASSICS, BUT ACTUALLY SHE IS BRINGING IN KNOWLEDGE FROM WEST AFRICA.

SHE IS SHOWING THAT BLACK PEOPLE, ONE, ARE A TALENTED PEOPLE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A TALENTED PEOPLE, BUT THAT WE ALSO RETAIN OUR OWN HISTORY AND CULTURE, AND EVEN IF WE HAVE TO BE SLY ABOUT IT, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO BE CODED ABOUT IT IN OUR CULTURAL PRODUCTION, IT IS THERE.

A OF WHY WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT PHILLIS WHEATLEY IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HER AND THIS ABOLITIONIST MOMENT.

WHEN SHE IS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST SLAVERY, OFTEN IN CODED TERMS, BECAUSE AT A POINT SHE IS ENSLAVED, BUT OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE HAD WRITTEN HER OUT, HAD CALLED HER A RACE TRAITOR.

NOW WE REDISCOVERED THAT SHE IS VERY MUCH SO ON THE SIDE OF BLACK PEOPLE AND VERY COMMITTED TO ABOLITION.

AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE EMBRACE HER.

>> I LOVE WHAT YOU JUST GAVE US.

IMPORTANT THAT WE EMBRACE HER, AND ALL OF THESE IDENTITIES, ALL OF THE IDENTITIES THAT SHE CARRIED, THEN THE COMPLEXITIES, THE LAYERS SHE COVERED THROUGH HER WORK, AND THE DISPELLING MYTHS, THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS BODY OF WORK TOUCHES.

WE WANT TO GO TO A CLIP FROM THE PLAY.

IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENE, "PHILLIS IN BOSTON," PHILLIS AND ABOLITIONIST PRINCE HALL DISCUSS HELPING AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN GAINED THEIR FREEDOM.

>> CAN YOU FIND SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THIS?

PLEASE.

IT IS IMPORTANT.

>> ANOTHER ONE?

IN JANUARY WE HAD 73 SIGNATURES.

>> YES, I KNOW.

SADLY THE SENATE STILL REFUSED IT.

>> WHAT WAS IT FOR?

>> FUNDS FOR VOLUNTARY IMMIGRATION TO AFRICA.

I THINK THE PLEA WAS WRONG.

WE PUT TOO MUCH STRESS ON KIDNAPPED AFRICANS BEING BETTER SUITED TO AFRICA'’S CLIMATE AND LIFESTYLE.

THAT WAS THE STUMBLING BLOCK.

>> A GROUP OF FREED BLACK MEN ARE CAPTURED BY THE AUTHORITIES BECAUSE THEY CAN'’T BELIEVE THE FACT THAT WE WOULD RATHER LIVE IN AFRICA THEN BE PART OF THIS COLONY.

>> BUT KIDNAPPING IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM FREE AFRICANS FACE.

I SHOULD HAVE FOCUSED MORE ON THAT, THE THEFT OF FREE MEN AND WOMEN AND THE SELLING OF THEM BACK INTO SLAVERY.

I MEAN, IT IS HAPPENING EVERY DAY ALL OVER THE NORTHEASTERN COLONIES.

>> ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> JOSHUA, PRINCE HALL IS SO PASSIONATE IN THIS MOMENT.

TELL US WHAT HE IS TRYING TO RELAY AND GET ACROSS TO PHILLIS.

>> PRINCE HALL WAS ALWAYS ABOUT BLACK SOVEREIGNTY.

EVERYTHING HE DID WAS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY.

HE WAS AN ORGANIZER, A COMMUNITY BUILDER.

IN THIS SCENE THAT WE JUST WATCHED, HE GOT 73 SIGNATURES FOR A PETITION FOR A BACK TO AFRICA MOVEMENT, WHICH WAS REFUSED BY THE SENATE.

WHAT HE TRIES TO DO IS USE RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES AND POLITICS.

HAVE PEOPLE RELATE LOOK AT THEMSELVES AND SAY, OKAY, IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE CHRISTIAN PRECEPT OF ALL EQUAL BEFORE GOD, HOW CAN YOU IN THE SAME BREATH SAY YOU WILL CLAIM YOUR FELLOW MAN AS PROPERTY?

>> AND PHILLIS IS CHRISTIAN, IS THAT RIGHT?

SHE IS A CHRISTIAN.

AND SHE IS ENSLAVED.

ADRIANA, WHO PLAYED PHILLIS.

HOW DOES SHE RECKON WITH THIS?

HOW DOES SHE RECKON WITH WHAT PRINCE HALL IS TELLING HER IN HER CURRENT STATE?

>> I BELIEVE IT WAS PRETTY HARD FOR HER TO UNDERSTAND IT AT FIRST.

BUT ONCE PRINCE HALL MENTIONED CHRISTIANITY AND LOOKING AT THE OTHER PERSON, I THINK THAT IS WHEN SHE STARTED TO REALLY EVALUATE OR DISSECT WHAT HER FAITH MEANS TO HER AND WHAT THE FAITH MEANS TO OTHER PEOPLE.

I THINK SHE ALSO -- BECAUSE WHEN SHE LOOKS AT, WHEN SHE DISSECTS SLAVERY, SHE SEES THAT HER FAITH HAS ALSO TRANSCENDED HER TO BECOME SOMEONE MUCH BETTER DOWN THE LINE.

>> ACTUALLY, IN THAT MOMENT, THIS IS SET JUST THE DAY WHEN THE SHIPS, THE DARTMOUTH IN PARTICULAR HAD ARRIVED.

SHE HAD BEEN EMANCIPATED BY THEM, AND IN HER WRITING SHE CRYPTICALLY SAID WITH THE HELP OF MY FRIENDS IN LONDON.

WHEN SHE LEFT IN MAY, THEY HAD EVERY UNDERSTANDING, THE WHEATLEYS KNEW SHE DID NOT HAVE TO COME BACK.

MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE TAKEN, BOSTONIANS CALLED THEM SERVANTS RATHER THAN SLAVES, BUT THEY WERE TAKEN MAY BE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE EMPIRE.

IF THEY WENT TO LONDON, PEOPLE SELF-EMANCIPATE.

IN 1772, A YEAR BEFORE PHILLIS ARRIVES IN LONDON, JAMES SOMERSET HAD BEEN PART OF A VERY FAMOUS CASE, COMPLETELY LANDMARK CASE, WHICH THE JUDGE IN ENGLAND WHO TRIED THE CASE, JAMES SOMERSET HAD WON THE RIGHT NOT TO BE RETURNED TO MASSACHUSETTS WITH HIS OWNER.

AND THAT SET THE PRECEDENT THAT ANY ENSLAVED PERSON BEING BROUGHT TO LONDON COULD NOT BE FORCIBLY RETURNED TO ANY COLONY.

>> WHY WOULD SHE COME BACK?

THAT IS A QUESTION I HAD BEEN READING ALL THIS.

SHE GOES TO LONDON.

SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO EMANCIPATE.

SHE BECOMES A CELEBRITY.

SHE GETS A BOOK PUBLISHED.

WHY WOULD SHE COME BACK?

>> I LIKE THIS QUESTION, BECAUSE I GO, WHY NOT?

THIS IS HER COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT, RIGHT?

SHE IS QUITE CUNNING, AND SO SHE IS ACTUALLY SETTING HERSELF UP SO THAT SHE CAN LEVERAGE HER FREEDOM FROM THE WHEATLEYS.

SO WHEN SHE GOES TO LONDON, SHE HAD ALREADY MADE CONTACTS WITH A LOT OF THE WHITE WEALTHY BOSTONIANS WHO PUT HER IN A POSITION TO GET THERE, AND SHE USED IT TO LEVERAGE WITH THEM.

THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THEY DID NOT REALLY PROMISE HER FREEDOM TO COME BACK.

I THINK WHAT WE SEE IS THAT SHE IS VERY MUCH STILL GROUNDED IN A BLACK ABOLITIONIST COMMUNITY IN BOSTON.

I THINK THAT IS HER COMMUNITY.

FOR ME, BECAUSE SHE COMES BACK, WE GET TO SEE THAT.

WE GET TO SEE HOW VOCAL SHE BECOMES ONCE SHE HAS HER FREEDOM.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO THINK OF PHILLIS AS EXTREMELY STRATEGIC.

TO ME, WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS THAT WE START TO THEN UNDERSTAND JUST HOW IMPORTANT BLACK PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING THEIR POLITICAL INTELLECT.

AND IF WE TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AS POLITICAL AGENTS, THEN WE SEE THE WAYS IN WHICH PHILLIS IS MANEUVERING AND ACTUALLY FORCING THE WHEATLEY'’S TO GIVE HER HER FREEDOM.

>> THIS IS WHY THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE ON THE SURFACE YOU THINK SLAVE, SLAVE MASTER, FREEDOM, SUCCESS.

HOW DO WE MAKE SENSE OF HER COMING BACK TO WHAT IS HER SLAVE OWNER?

AND BEING LOYAL TO HER AND LIVING WITH HER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE HAD SHOWN HER A LOT OF GRACE BY EDUCATING HER AND ALLOWING HER TO GO.

THERE IS THIS DICHOTOMY HERE THAT REALLY TAKES IT DEEPER INTO WHY PHILLIS WOULD COME BACK AND HOW STRATEGIC IT WAS.

WE HAVE THE SECOND CLIP.

IN THIS SCENE FROM "PHILLIS IN BOSTON," PHILLIS WHEATLEY WRESTLES WITH HER RELATIONSHIP WITH SUSANNA WHEATLEY, HER AND SLAVERY.

-- HER ENSLAVER.

>> I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE, BUT I WROTE THE POEMS.

I STAYED UP LATE CREATING THE WORK CRAFTING THE WORDS.

I WENT TO ALL THE TEA PARTIES.

I WENT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.

I SMILED AND CURTSIED.

YOUR FRIENDS PRAISED YOU FOR HELPING THE LITTLE NEGRO POET, BUT WHEN I NEEDED THEM THEY WERE NOT THERE.

I DID NOT HAVE THEIR SUPPORT, BUT I DID ALL THE WORK.

I WAS THE ONE WHO NEEDED FREEDOM.

BUT MY BOOK, I MAY NEVER SEE IT.

>> WHATEVER DO YOU MEAN, PHILLIS ?

>> I AM GRATEFUL, BUT I NEED TO MAKE MY OWN LIFE.

>> OH, NONSENSE.

>> I NEED TIME FOR MYSELF.

I NEED TO MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS.

I CAN'’T KEEP HELPING YOU THE WAY I USED TO.

>> DON'’T BE SO HIGH AND MIGHTY.

WON'’T YOU LISTEN TO ME AT ALL NOW?

>> YOU AND MR. WHEATLEY FREQUENTLY REMIND ME, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN FOOT AND NOW, AS IF I CAN TRANSFORM MYSELF OVERNIGHT FROM SLAVE TO FREE, AS IF I COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

I CAME BACK, DIDN'’T I?

>> YOU KEPT YOUR PROMISE, BUT I WILL KEEP MINE.

I WANT TO HELP.

LET ME EXPLAIN.

>> NO ONE CAN HELP ME.

NO ONE HAS AUTHORITY OVER THE SHIP.

THE AGENTS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY CANNOT COLLECT THE GOODS.

THE OWNER OF THE DARTMOUTH CANNOT TAKE BACK HIS SHIP, SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

>> I AM GRATEFUL, BUT I NEED TO MAKE MY OWN LIFE.

THAT IS WHAT I WALKED AWAY WITH.

THAT IS A POWERFUL STATEMENT TO THE SLAVE OWNER.

WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN WHEN YOU ARE SAYING IT TO A SLAVE OWNER?

TO YOU, THE THING I WANT TO KNOW IS, SUSANNA SAID YOU KEPT YOUR PROMISE AND I AM GOING TO KEEP MINE.

WHAT WAS HER PROMISE TO HER?

>> I AM A CREATIVE WRITER, SO WE DON'’T KNOW.

MY IMAGINATIVE PROCESS WAS TO PUT MYSELF IN THE SHOES OF EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

THEN WHEN PHILLIS WAS IN LONDON SHE WAS WITH THE SON OF THE WHEATLEYS WHO WAS THERE ON BUSINESS.

SO THE "PHILLIS IN BOSTON" -- IN LONDON" PLAY IS IMAGINING THEIR RELATIONSHIP, WHERE SHE DID NOT SHOUT SHE WAS OUR SLAVE, IT WAS NOT POLITE.

THE ENGLISH WERE ALSO SLAVEOWNERS.

IN TERMS OF THE CARIBBEAN, T HEIR SLAVE PRACTICES WERE PARTICULARLY HORRIFIC.

I IMAGINED THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE DYNAMICS.

PHILLIS IN ONE OF HER LETTERS TO HER DEAR FRIEND REFERRED TO SUSANNA AS HER MOTHER, MY BEST FRIEND, MY SISTER.

SO THERE WAS A BOND.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME SHE IS HER ENSLAVER.

THIS COMPLEXITY IS WHAT MAKES THE RELATIONSHIP DRAMATICALLY INTERESTING.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR AS WRITERS IS THOSE CONTRADICTIONS, THOSE CONFLICTS.

THE INTERNAL CONFLICT THAT PHILLIS MUST HAVE FELT ON THE ONE HAND, SHE CAN SEE THAT MOST ENSLAVERS ARE NOT TREATING -- EVEN THE WHEATLEYS DID NOT TREAT THE OTHER ENSLAVED PEOPLE THE WAY THEY TREATED PHILLIS.

SHE TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY FROM THE OTHERS, YOU ARE NOT LIKE THEM.

>> THEY FOUND HER SPECIAL.

WE DON'’T THROW AROUND THE WORD GENIUS OFTEN.

>> IT WAS A GIFT FROM GOD.

THE KIND OF TALENT IS DIVINELY ENDOWED, WHICH WAS A WIDESPREAD IDEA AT THE TIME.

>> I WANT TO KNOW FROM YOU, WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

HOW DID YOU PREPARE TO PLAY PHILLIS?

I TALK ABOUT THE COMPLEXITIES OF HER CHARACTER AND SEEING WHO THE CHARACTER WHO PLAYS SUSANNA, WHAT WAS IT LIKE PLAYING HER, A RARE PERSON, AND PREPARING FOR THIS RULE?

>> I FOUND IT DEEPLY MOVING.

I NEVER HEARD PART BEING CASTED IN THE SHOW.

I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON HER.

I JUST FOUND HER STRUGGLE VERY INSPIRING, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF HER RESILIENCE THROUGH ALL OF IT.

SHE IS CONSIDERED PRIVILEGED COMPARED TO MOST OF THE SERVANTS AT THE TIME, OR AFRICANS AT THE TIME WHO WERE TRAFFICKED.

HER DESIRE AND HER CONVICTION TO WANT MORE THAN JUST HERSELF, TO WANT MORE FOR OTHERS, IT WAS VERY MOVING.

AND ALSO TO PERFORM IN A SPACE WHERE SHE ONCE WAS WAS ALSO VERY TOUCHING.

DURING THE TIME THAT SHE WAS THERE, SHE COULD ONLY SIT AT THE TOP GALLERY.

I FEEL LIKE SHE WOULD BE PROUD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PREFORMING HER PIECE, SPEAKING ABOUT THE RESILIENCE THAT SHE HAD AND HOW MUCH WORK SHE IS TRYING TO DO.

>> IN LISTENING TO THIS, THERE IS SO MUCH INTENTIONALITY AROUND YOU PURSUING THIS WORK.

THERE IS SO MUCH INTENTIONALITY.

WHAT ADRIANA JUST SAID, THAT IS DEEPLY POWERFUL.

>> IT IS OUR JOB AS ARTISTS, AS CREATORS.

IT IS OUR DUTY.

I DON'’T USE THE WORD DUTY AS AN OBLIGATION.

AS A WRITER, IF I DON'’T DO IT, WHO IS GOING TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THESE AMAZING CHARACTERS?

YOU KNOW IT IS NOT EASY.

WRITING PLAYS, I LOVE DOING IT.

I COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN MY LIFE AS A DRAMATIST, BUT IT IS HARD WORK.

BEFORE YOU EMBARK ON ANY PROJECT YOU HAVE TO SAY, THIS WILL BE A LONG ONE.

THIS ONE HAS BEEN LONGER THAN MOST.

NINE YEARS SINCE I FIRST STARTED WORKING ON IT.

I HAVE TAKEN THE PROJECT TO GHANA AND GAMBIA AND BARBADOS, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE AND HEAR HOW IT SAT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BLACK ATLANTIC, THE DIASPORA.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LONDON, BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE NIGERIAN.

I AM VERY CONNECTED TO THE CARIBBEAN WORLD BECAUSE I GREW UP IN NOTTING HILL, WEST LONDON.

>> I LOVE THAT ABOUT YOUR CONNECTION TO PHILLIS.

HERE SHE IS FROM, WEST AFRICA?

>> THE GAMBIA, SENEGAL AREA.

>> SO SHE IS FROM AFRICA, BUT IS IN BOSTON, HAS MADE A LIFE IN BOSTON, GOES BACK TO LONDON, THEN COMES BACK TO BOSTON.

HERE YOU HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL, RICH HISTORY OF BEING NIGERIAN.

>> I WAS NOT KIDNAPPED.

I WAS NOT ENSLAVED.

BUT WE STILL LIVE WITH RACISM.

250 YEARS AGO WAS A LONG TIME, BUT IS IT A LONG TIME IN TERMS OF CHANGE?

THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS, BUT THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.

>> ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND GO ACROSS THE WATER, YOU SEE HOW SHORT OF A TIME 250 YEARS IS IN THE BIG SCHEME OF OUR CIVILIZATION.

I WANTED TO COME TO YOU JOSHUA AND ASK THE SAME QUESTION, HOW DID YOU PREPARE TO PLAY PRINCIPAL?

-- PLAY PRINCE HALL?

WHAT WAS YOUR PROCESS TO PLAY THIS REAL CHARACTER WHO MEANS A LOT TO MASSACHUSETTS, BUT JUST TO THE OVERALL ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT?

>> WHEN I FIRST READ THE SCRIPT, I SAW A STAGE DIRECTION, PRINCE HALL, FIERY MAN, TALL, 35 COMES IN, CHARGED.

THAT IS HOW I PLAYED HIM.

IN MY RESEARCH ABOUT HIM, HE IS A PASSIONATE MAN.

HE WOULD LOOK AT HIMSELF AS AN ELITE FIGURE IN THAT TIME.

1700S, AN AFRICAN MAN HOLDING HIMSELF TO THAT STATURE.

THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE LAUGHED AT, WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.

HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO BE VICTIMIZED IS ALSO A KEY PART IN HIS MINDSET, AND HOW HE REALLY WAS STRIVING TO ACHIEVE AFRICAN SOVEREIGNTY.

I LOVED RESEARCHING ABOUT HIM AND DIVING INTO HIS PERSONA, TRYING TO GET INTO HIS PSYCHE.

ALL I CAN DO IS RESEARCH WHAT HE DID AND SEE HOW HIS ACTIONS RELATE TO WHAT HE THOUGHT OF PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

>> THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.

I ALWAYS SAY, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE WORKING WITH HISTORICAL FIGURES, THEY ARE ALL PEOPLE THAT JUST HAPPEN TO BE DEAD.

>> THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT REAL PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW FOR US HISTORICAL FIGURES.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, TO TALK ABOUT ENSLAVEMENT AND ABOLITION IN THE 1700S, AND DO IT IN THIS ARTISTIC FASHION?

>> I THINK FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE IS THAT WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY AND THINK ABOUT WHAT SHE IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE AS AN ENSLAVED WOMAN AND THEN AS A FREE WOMAN, ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO GO BACK TO IS THAT WHEN THE WHEATLEYS DIED, THEY LEAVE HER WITH NOTHING.

THEY LEAVE HER WITH ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

SO AGAIN, WHEN WE ARE THING ABOUT THAT CONTEXT, EVEN IF THEY THOUGHT SHE WAS A SPECIAL, THEY DID NOT -- WAS SPECIAL, THEY DID NOT PASS ON ANYTHING TO HER.

I WON'’T SAY SHE HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFICULT LIFE, AND IT IS NOT EASY FOR ANY BLACK PERSON IN THAT POST-EMANCIPATION PERIOD.

RACISM DOES NOT JUST GO AWAY.

SO WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IMPORTANT PEOPLE LIKE PHILLIS WHEATLEY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT LONG HISTORY OF SLAVERY TO FREEDOM AND ACTUALLY ASK, WHAT DOES FREEDOM LOOK LIKE?

WHEN YOU GET INTO HER POETRY AND ACTIVISM, YOU SEE THAT SHE IS ADVOCATING FOR FREEDOM BECAUSE SHE HAS IT, BUT SHE DOES NOT HAVE IT IN THE WAY THAT MAKES HER A CITIZEN, A FULL CITIZEN.

>> SHE DOES NOT HAVE IT IN THE WAY THAT MAKES HER A FULL CITIZEN, AND WE KNOW THAT, TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER, ECONOMICS.

AND FOR HER TO DIE WITH NOTHING, DOES IT CONTRADICT THAT STATEMENT?

IF SHE IS WRITING, THIS IS MY MOTHER, THIS IS MY SISTER, BUT THEY DON'’T LEAVE YOU ANYTHING, DID THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO LEAVE?

I WOULD PRESUME THAT THEY DID.

>> SUSANNA DIED A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE PLAY THE FOLLOWING SPRING.

JOHN WHEATLEY LIVES FOR A LOT LONGER, AND HE IS THE ONE THAT DOES NOT LEAVE HER ANYTHING.

>> WOW.

>> AND ECONOMICS IS THE KEY, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THAT IS WHY THE DRAMA OF HER BOOKS IS SO ALIVE.

THESE BOOKS ARE THE WEALTH THAT SHE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THROUGH SELLING THE BOOK.

WITHOUT THEM, SHE HAS NOTHING.

>> WE CAN SAY SHE GOT HER BOOKS BACK?

>> WE CAN SAY THAT.

>> BEFORE WE GO, WE WANT TO HONOR MORE BLACK WOMEN IN OUR AREA.

ALONG BLUE HILL AVENUE IN ROXBURY IN DORCHESTER ARE BANNERS THAT CELEBRATE NOTABLE BLACK WOMEN LEADERS.

ALL 212 BANNERS REPRESENT THEIR GRACE AND CONTRIBUTION IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE, POLITICS, HEALTH, EDUCATION AND COMMITTEE BUILDING.

THEY INCLUDE LUMINARIES SARAH-ANN SHAW, MARGARET BURNHAM, AYANNA PRESSLEY, AND SO MANY MORE.

IT IS ALL PART OF THE BLACK WOMEN LEAD PROJECT LED BY GREATER GLOBAL HALL MAIN STREETS.

NOW STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.

♪