Public invited to Q&A program on documentary ‘The Gate’
The Fairfield Foundation, in partnership with Seltzer Film & Video and the Contraband Historical Society, will hold a community event featuring acclaimed filmmaker and director Laura Seltzer-Duny.
The event is free and open to the public, taking place at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester, 6894 Main Street, Gloucester. While admission is free, interested persons are encouraged to RSVP to assist with planning. Email Sara Lewis at the Fairfield Foundation (sara@fairfieldfoundation.org) to reserve a spot or for more information.
This event will offer behind-the-scenes insights into Seltzer-Duny’s upcoming documentary, “The Gate: The Story of America’s First Contraband Community,” which follows her journey to unite black and white descendants, explores the historic Brooks Cemetery in Mathews, and reveals the untold story of the first contraband families.
The Gate is a descendant-led PBS documentary and educational program initiative in production in Hampton Roads. Filming is centered at Fort Monroe, the birthplace of freedom for thousands of self-emancipated people in 1861. Known as “contrabands,” these men, women and children fled enslavement, sought refuge behind Union lines, and built the first free, self-governed black community in the shadow of the Civil War.
The public is invited to attend this event which promises to shed light on a pivotal chapter of American history and foster meaningful dialogue around heritage, reconciliation, and community, a release stated.
Attendees will be able to view the documentary’s trailer and selected clips, providing a look into the lives of formerly enslaved Africans who sought refuge behind Union lines during the Civil War and the resilient community they established in Hampton. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with the director and the descendants of Robert Langley Brooks, a contraband who escaped enslavement in Mathews.
The Fairfield Foundation, established in 2000, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to community outreach and inspiring appreciation for archaeology and historic preservation. Through partnerships and educational initiatives, the foundation operates sites including the Fairfield Archaeology Park, Rosewell Ruin and Visitor Center, Timberneck at Machicomoco State Park, Walter Reed Birthplace, and the Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education at the restored Edgehill Service Station.
These locations offer immersive, hands-on history experiences for students, professionals, volunteers and the community year-round.
The Fairfield Family Circle, an affiliate of Coming to the Table, seeks to move beyond the legacy of enslavement on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula by bringing together descendants of the formerly enslaved and enslavers. Their mission is to share stories of ancestral roots at plantations and farms such as Fairfield, Rosewell and Timberneck, and to illuminate the enduring people and communities connected to these historic places, a release said.
Seltzer Film & Video is known for producing films that give voice to important causes and inspire change. Led by Emmy-nominated PBS producer and award-winning filmmaker Seltzer-Duny, the team collaborates with subject matter experts, educators, and advocates to create meaningful, impactful films.
Seltzer-Duny has spent over 20 years producing and directing documentaries and educational programs, with her work airing on major networks including PBS, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, Discovery and the History Channel.
The Contraband Historical Society is dedicated to researching, preserving, and promoting the history, legacy, and contributions of those formerly enslaved and classified as “Contraband” during the Civil War. The organization connects descendants, particularly in the Hampton area and at Fortress Monroe, and educates the public
Poster Credit: Seltzer Film & Video
Link: https://www.gazettejournal.net/public-invited-to-qa-program-on-documentary-the-gate/