‘The Book of Negroes’, the 2007 novel by Lawrence Hill, is now a six-part television series, making its Canadian debut tonight. The title comes from the name of the actual document the British used to record the names and descriptions of thousands of Loyalist slaves who were granted their freedom and sent to Nova Scotia.
The story follows the journey of Aminata Diallo, a child when she was kidnapped in West Africa in the 18th century and eventually sold into slavery in the southern United States.
The internationally co-produced, miniseries features Aunjanue Ellis in the role of Aminata, and stars American Academy Award-winning actors Lou Gossett Jr. and Cuba Gooding Jr.
‘It’s really a triumphant story’
In an interview with CBC, Cuba Gooding Jr. questioned his American education. He told the CBC. “I had no knowledge of the book which was again one of those moments in my career where I just shake my head and go… what was I doing in school, I mean what was the curriculum that we didn’t learn anything about African American history… these stories of these Black Americans who contributed so much. So when I read this book again it was one of those moments where you know, hearing of a document that had 3000 plus names of slaves that were granted their freedom and sent to Nova Scotia, you know it literally blew me away.”
In November, at the North American premiere in Toronto, Lou Gossett Jr. spoke with CBC, describing his impression of the series; “It’s really a triumphant story about this woman who can tell the story. In that way, it’s better than Roots, and 12 Years a Slave because it’s a portrait.”
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