PETERBORO, NY – The film Songs of Slavery and Emancipation made its debut at Peterboro Juneteenth 2022 at the same time as its debut in New York City. Film producer Mat Callahan returns to Peterboro to personally present the film for Peterboro Freedom Festival: Juneteenth 2023 at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17.
Callahan sends word that “It is my great pleasure to join with Alden “Max” Smith in presenting our project, Songs of Slavery and Emancipation on this Juneteenth holiday weekend. Our program begins with Max singing a song from the collection that appears in the film and is available on the CDs accompanying our book. I will follow with a brief introduction to the film. After the film, I will provide further background and expand on the story told in the film.”
The film Songs of Slavery and Emancipation tells of the discovery of a long-lost revolutionary slave song and the odyssey that led to its recording. Along the way more songs were discovered as were the songs of the abolition movement. Meeting the musicians and educators who joined the effort to bring these songs to life is vividly recalled in this stirring documentary. More than fifty musicians from many parts of the country are shown as they rehearse and perform songs that have not been heard for more than one hundred years.
Manisha Sinha PhD, author of The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolition, states, “Mat Callahan’s carefully documented and richly interpreted book is the first modern comprehensive compilation of the musical archive of Black Resistance to slavery and abolition. I cannot praise the labor of scholarly passion and conscience enough. It is a game changer in the histories of musicology and abolition.”
Mat Callahan (Bern, Switzerland) is a musician and author originally from San Francisco. Recent projects include the re-publication of Songs of Freedom by Irish revolutionary, James Connolly, the recording and publication of Working Class Heroesand the launch of Songs of Slavery and Emancipation, comprised of a book, two CDs and a film. He is the author of five books including The Explosion of Deferred Dreams (PM Press) and A Critical Guide to Intellectual Property (Zed Books). For more information visit: http://www.matcallahan.com Mat has wrapped a New York State tour of the film around his return to Peterboro.
Max Smith (Oneida NY) is Co-Chair of the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark’s Annual Peterboro Emancipation Day and a member of the Cabinet of Freedom for the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum in Peterboro NY.
Admission to the Saturday drama program is by donation. A Sandwich Shop for Saturday June 17 will be open 12-5 p.m. at the Smithfield Community Center, sponsored by Peterboro United Methodist Church. A bag lunch is prepared by reservations containing: a sandwich of choice — ham, turkey, egg salad, or hot meat ball, and a bag of chips, apple, cookie, and a bottle of water for fifteen dollars.
Sandwich reservations by June 10: 315-849-7540 or [email protected].
For more information on the three days of Peterboro Freedom Festival: Juneteenth 2023:www.NationalAbolitionHallofFameandMuseum.org, [email protected] 315-308-1890
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