Trailer by Rebecca Ward.
The FrontLines
The Frontlines is a short artistic film that centers some of the history of Wilmington, N.C. Through poetry and dance, the film begins to unpack the 1865 Battle of Forks Road during the Civil War, the 1898 Massacre and the 1971 Wilmington Ten case. The film features an original poem from Johnny Lee Chapman, III plus movement and choreography from Anthony Otto Nelson, Jr.
The events discussed in the film haven’t just had an impact on North Carolina, but across the country. The victory at the Battle of Forks Road helped win the Civil War, and the 1898 Massacre served as a template for white supremacy. The Wilmington Ten case had the attention of the nation and prompted James Baldwin to write an open letter to Jimmy Carter. All three events were pivotal in shaping what Wilmington is today.
THE FRONTLINES | #FrontLinesWilmington
Performance/video runtime: 8:05
Monologue: Written and performed by Johnny Lee Chapman, III
Choreography and movement: Anthony Otto Nelson Jr.
Locations: The Cameron Art Museum and 1898 Memorial Park, Wilmington, N.C.; Wrightsville Beach
Performance coordinator: Myra Weise, Proxemic Media
Video: Filmed and edited by Rebecca Ward
Executive producer: Michael S. Williams for the Black On Black Project
Previous EVENTS
The Frontlines Virtual Screening - Saturday, April 17, 2021: Through a partnership with the University of North Carolina Wilmington, “The Front Lines” will be screened as part of a conference called Healing Generational Trauma. After the screening there will be a discussion about the short film and the history it begins to unpack.
The Front Lines Sunday Screening Series:
Sunday, October 25, 2:30 p.m.: Cameron Art Museum. Special guest: Devin Kelly, public historian for the Cameron’s United States Colored Troops sculpture project.
Sunday, November 8, 2:30 p.m.: DREAMS Center for Arts Education. Special guest: Lettie Shumate, historian, antiracism educator and podcast host.
Sunday, November 22, 2:30 p.m.: DREAMS Center for Arts Education. Special guest: Jan Davidson, museum historian, Cape Fear Museum.
Film reference materials
1898 Wilmington Race Riot Report
The Ghosts of 1898: Wilmington's Race Riot and the Rise of White Supremacy
"Democracy Betrayed: The Wilmington Race Riot of 1898 and Its Legacy"
"The Wilmington Ten: Violence, Injustice, and the Rise of Black Politics in the 1970s"
"The True Story Behind The Wilmington Ten"
"Triumphant Warrior: Memoir Of A Soul Survivor Of The Wilmington Ten"
"Pardons of Innocence: The Wilmington Ten"
North Carolina State Archives
James Baldwin’s 1977 letter to Jimmy Carter from The New York Times
"The Fire of Freedom: Abraham Galloway and the Slaves' Civil War"
News articles and archival newspapers
Film Image credits
African-American soldier archival photos, Library of Congress; the view of downtown Wilmington, N.C. c.1900 (church), courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina; Wilmington Ten press conference photo, 1976, The News & Observer Publishing Company; Mike's Grocery, 1971, courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library, North Carolina Room.