A Documentary Film by
Beverly Collins-Roberts
In 2002 Beverly Collins-Roberts, discovered the history of Slavery and Plantations in her own backyard of Camden, NJ. The film is about her journey of Discovery, Revelation and Awakening, the Resolve ...
In 2008 Ms. Collins-Roberts followed the direct link from her beloved city of Camden, NJ back to where it all began - Ghana. There she was able to continue her research as she photographed, filmed and interviewed the people opening up a dialogue which she hopes helped to bridge the gap or disconnect between African Americans and the family we are strangers to.
Questionaires were used by Dr. Evelyn Dormekpor in interviewing fellow Ghanaians.
The film depicts a contemporary view of Ghanaian life, its people, its cities and some touching and very revealing interviews with its people as they tell what slavery looked like from their perspective and how they came to view “their relatives” taken captive—who never came back. The Journey juxtaposes the lives of captive Africans, now African Americans, and how life evolved for them in not only Camden, NJ, but America.
The Journey takes its viewers through what was happening during specific time periods to each people on the two continents and allows audiences to witness the similarities and the differences and to embrace the wholeness of their experiences.
Collins-Roberts is filled with a whirlwind of emotions from the time she boards the plane to cross the great expanse alone. She feels anxious and thinks, What if we don’t understand each other? Why didn’t they try to come and save us? How?
Centuries later, they don’t know us and we don't know them.”
These thoughts were on her mind even while she wept for those who died during the Middle Passage.
She states " As I placed my foot upon the African soil of Ghana, I felt that I had made the journey for all the millions of people who never got to return home and those who never will."
The Journey Continues …
Nisa Ra 2010
