Commenting on why the time was right in 1998 for his widely acclaimed television documentary on slavery, "Africans in America," Producer Orlando Bagwell said that it was because the money, research, and the resources necessary to "bring alive history that is about to be forgotten," were finally in place.
But there was another set of reasons, he added. They have to do with "our ability to stare slavery in the face," and face our own emotions and pain. Maybe even feel some triumph and healing.
"As a nation, we were ready...to engage the story of slavery in all its complexity," Bagwell concluded.
Bagwell was the keynote speaker at a recent conference, "The Media's Message: Race, Representation, and Higher Education," which was held Nov. 16 at the JFK Library.
A diverse group of community leaders, media representatives, academics, students, and activists came together to discuss representations of minorities in the media, and examine what can be done to make those powerful images more accurate and valid.
The morning's main event was a town hall meeting and panel discussion on representations of race in the media. Panelists included public relations executive Kelley Chunn, Boston Globe reporter Zachary Dowdy, UMass Boston Profs. Reebee Garofalo and Paul Watanabe, Cheryl Imelda Hampton of National Public Radio, and Prof. Elizabeth Amelia Hadley of Simmons College.
In the afternoon, workshops were held, each focusing on a different medium. The workshop on film was led by English Prof. Linda Dittmar; the workshop on documentaries was led by Prof. Robert Hall of Northeastern University; and the workshop on television by Prof. Judith Smith of the American Studies department. The conference was sponsored by the Center for the Improvement of Teaching, the Chancellor's Office, and the Association of American Colleges and Universities.