In December of 2012, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained caused controversy throughout America. He presented the story of a black slave who becomes a bounty hunter to rescue his wife from a very powerful, and quite despicable, plantation owner. What many found offensive was the film’s depiction of slaver. As the filmmaker, Spike Lee claimed in a tweet, “American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them.”
Now, we could argue that yes, indeed, the movie shows a different portrayal of slavery than the one we’re used to, and yes, it was turned into a genre far from the classic historical stories we’ve seen. But above all, the movie is a story of resilience that showed what people endured at the time. So, what’s a good way to portray such a difficult and painful episode in history? I’m not saying that Tarantino based his story on a real event, but there’s plenty of stories of people who, like Django, fought against their reality. So, let me raise the question again, how should stories be depicted?
Last year the company in charge of one of the most important whiskey distilleries decided not to include the story of Nearest Green, the mind behind the origins of the company, because he was also a former slave. They were afraid people would take perceive this decision as a filthy marketing strategy. Let me explain. While on vacation, Fawn Weaver, a real estate investor and author, discovered the story of Green and was determined to dig into all the records to bring his story back and honor him. Her research took her to several states across America, where she collected documents, objects, and records from Green’s remaining descendants.
She visited the distillery and was alarmed by the fact that the company wouldn’t mention or recognize Green’s important role in the creation and production of the brand, not even when some of his descendants still work at the distillery. When she had a meeting with the directors of the company, showing them all the evidence she had collected, she told them she intended to publish the story in a book and even suggested the creation of a new brand of whiskey with his name to honor him. They applauded her determination and even wanted to honor him as he deserved, which takes us back to why they didn’t mention him on the anniversary celebrations. By that time, the presidential election campaigns had already begun, and racial issues were one of the most controversial and delicate issues in the agenda. Racism was sprouting terribly and people were taking a stand on the matter. But the company’s directives didn’t want people to think they were using Nearest Green’s story as a hook to profit, so they decided not to tell his story.
Given the shroud of mystery regarding the story, many have argued or misinterpreted it as if the company’s founder was a slave owner who took advantage of one of his slaves. However, it’s been proven that he did not own slaves nor did he agree with those customs. In fact, he met Green while they were working together at a farm. The would-be founder wanted to start a business of his own but knew nothing about distilling. Green, however, had plenty of experience in the field and taught Daniel the craft. The man started his company, and, after the Civil War and slavery were over, Green came to work with him.
The company might not have mentioned Green in the anniversary, but they’ve given him recognition in other ways. He was named the first distillery master of the brand, and his story has been included in the history of the company. As for Weaver, she’s claimed that she will continue her research on him, as there’s still much more to tell. Moreover, all the documents and objects she collected will be donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.
Telling these stories is important to give these characters the credit they deserve. However, is it really fair to conceal information in order to avoid a bad image of some company. Should movies about the subject only be made when they have the solemnity of historical films? I think there’s still a long way to go when it comes to one of the most painful episodes in the history of the United States.
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Take a look at these:
Madame Lalaurie: The Cruel Woman Who Tortured Slaves and Practiced Voodoo
The Gypsy Boxer Who Proved Hitler Wrong
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