On Monday, November 4, EJI hosted a premiere showing of the highly anticipated film, 12 Years a Slave, in Montgomery.
Very few films have addressed the legacy of slavery in America in a factual and nuanced way and 12 Years a Slave has already won critical acclaim for its devastating portrayal of the brutality and inhumanity of American slavery. EJI’s race and poverty project is focused on increasing understanding of racial history and the legacy of racial injustice in the United States.
Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Alfre Woodard, and Sarah Paulson, 12 Years a Slave is based on the true story of a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841 as part of the domestic slave trade. The practice of kidnapping free Black people and selling them into slavery was a feature of Montgomery’s slave trade that EJI has documented.
EJI is hosting several events in the coming months as part of its Race and Poverty project, which also produces reports and materials that explore the legacy of racial bias in the United States and its continuing impact on contemporary policies and practices.
The history of racial inequality and economic injustice in the United States has created continuing challenges for all Americans and EJI believes more must be done to advance our collective goal of equal justice for all.