What is it? The Book of Negroes, six episodes on three discs from eOne.
When? Now
How much? $39.98
What is it? ''The Book of Negroes'' is an actual historical document. During the American Revolution, several thousand black loyalists escaped slavery and sided with the British in exchange for the promise of freedom. When the British lost, they evacuated about 3,000 black loyalists to Nova Scotia and their names and other details were recorded in what they called ''The Book of Negroes.'' Many of them were eventually resettled in Sierra Leone.
So this is a documentary? No. It's historical fiction, really, based on a book of the same name by Lawrence Hill. It tells the story through the experiences of a fictional character, Aminata Diallo (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon as a child, Aunjanue Ellis as an adult).
Aminata is the much-loved daughter of a jewelry maker and a midwife in a village in Mali. Both her parents are focused on her education, teaching her to read and to deliver babies. Then, her happy world is torn apart when raiders burn her village, kill her parents and take Aminata and several others captive.
From there, she endures a hellish walk to the coast and the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, where her quick mind and her linguistic and midwifery skills make her valuable to the ship's masters.
She's sold to a South Carolina plantation owner, marries a childhood friend (Lyriq Bent) and has a child before she's once again struck by tragedy. Eventually, as the American Revolution erupts, she ends up in New York in a community of fellow runaways and free men like tavern owner Sam Fraunces (Cuba Gooding Jr.).
Again, her language skills and ability to read and write come in handy and she comes to the attention of British abolitionist John Clarkson (Ben Chaplin) and plays an active role in ''The Book of Negroes'' and the abolition of the slave trade.
How is it? It's a moving, at times uplifting, at times very disturbing account. Like the TV miniseries Roots, it focuses on a dark period in the nation's history and the story and the way it's handled bear some resemblance to Schindler's List.
It's also a compelling look at a part of history not known by many, and also offers a very different side of the Revolutionary War.
Aminata can seem a little too perfect and, despite her misfortunes, she has some amazingly lucky coincidences, but it's still a strong story with excellent actors (including Louis Gossett Jr. as Daddy Moses, a leader of the Nova Scotia colony).
Are there extras? Yes. There are two shorter bits, interviews with historians, one comparing the Amistad slave ship uprising and this story, and another about the Black Loyalists Society.
On the longer side, there are extensive interviews with cast and crew members and two interviews with author Lawrence Hill.
New this week: The Musketeers, Season 2; Republic of Doyle, Season 6; Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Complete Series; Tour of Duty, Complete Series; What's Happening!!, Complete Series.
Next week: Covert Affairs, Season 5; The Jeffersons, Season 7; The Mentalist, Season 7; Royal Pains, Season 6; Sgt. Bilko: The Phil Silvers Show, Season 2; Suits, Season 4; Wolf Hall, miniseries.
Style on 04/19/2015