Inspired by the profound words of the spiritual “Were You There?” this two-day event brings together film, music, and dialogue to illuminate the often-overlooked stories of Black revolutionary women throughout history.
Day One: Film Screening & Panel Discussion
Free with RSVP • Capacity limited to 75
Curated by the Roxbury International Film Festival, this program connects two extraordinary women across centuries:
- Elizabeth Freeman (Mumbet), who bravely sued for—and won—her freedom in 1781, helping to end slavery in Massachusetts.
- Fannie Lou Hamer, a force of the Civil Rights Movement whose moral courage reshaped voting rights advocacy in the 1960s.
Following the screening, journalist Tina Martin McDuffie moderates a conversation with:
- Joy Elaine Davenport, filmmaker
- Dr. Noelle N. Trent, CEO/President, Museum of African American History
- Kyera Singleton, Executive Director, Royall House & Slave Quarters
Guests are invited to explore the West End Museum’s permanent exhibition Rise, Fall, Rebirth: Stories of the West End, including interactive biographies of Black women abolitionists and a neighborhood Black History scavenger hunt.
This program is presented in partnership by Boston Lyric Opera, Castle of our Skins, Everyone250, MA250, Museum of African American History, Roxbury International Film Festival, and West End Museum.
She Was There received funding from a civic practice grant from OPERA America’s Opera Fund.
This event is presented in partnership with Everyone250.
