1619: The Journey of a People, the Production

A Road Scholar Program by Ted Williams Iii

When

Feb 5, 2022
2:00pm–3:00pm

Where

The Orpheum Theatre
57 S Kellogg St
Galesburg, IL 61401

Cost

Free
Open to the public

On August 20, 1619, 20 enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. The 400-year journey that followed would change a nation and the world. 1619: The Journey of a People is a dynamic theatrical and lecture experience featuring Playwright, Professor, and Performer Ted Williams III.

Taken from the 2-hour musical production, 1619: The Journey of a People, this one-man show packs generations of history into an approximately 1-hour stage production. From the beginning of American slavery to the Reconstruction, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Era, and the modern movements for justice, Williams uses history to explain America’s current reality.

The performance will run for 60-75 minutes and include live performance pieces, video clips, an audience trivia game, lecture, and an opportunity for Q and A.

PERFORMANCE PIECES:

Captured: The Transatlantic Slave Trade
Slave for life: Early Court Cases
Roots: Alex Haley
I Thought We Were Free: The Reconstruction Era
Fredrick Douglass 4th of July speech: US Patriotism
Booker T. or WEB: Strategies for Progress
Run to the North: The Great Migration
Tired of Wearing 2 Faces: Racial Identity and Middle Class Assimilation
I’m Not Black: The One Drop Rule and Racial Classification
After the Dream: Dr. King’s Legacy and 2020 America
Steal Away: Faith and Social Justice

This event is Free and Open to the public. For more information, please contact Jane Easterly at jane.easterly@galesburglibrary.org.

MORE ON 1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE:

1619: The Journey of a People commemorates the struggles, recognizes the heroes, and critically analyzes the American journey towards freedom and equality. Since the world premiere in August of 2019, the production has been performed over a dozen times throughout Chicago and at various locations including Elmhurst College, Wheaton College, and Hampton University. It has been featured in the Chicago Defender, Daily Herald, WCIU’s The Jam, V103’s Chicago Speaks with Darryl Dennard, WVON’s Real Talk Real People, and on Fox32 Chicago. 1619: The Journey of a People, which was funded by the Illinois Arts Council and nominated for the 2020 August Wilson Award for Best Writing of Musical by the Black Theater Alliance Awards.

Learn more about Ted Williams III, this program, and how to book it.

Sponsor

Galesburg Public Library

Contact

Suite 650, 125 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60603

312.422.5580 312.374.6787

info@ilhumanities.org

600 Troy Road
N4, Room 207
Edwardsville, IL 62025

618.468.5580

statewide@ilhumanities.org

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Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

Illinois Humanities respects the privacy of its audiences and will at no time sell or distribute personal information to any party not directly affiliated with Illinois Humanities and its programs.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.