10/01/2025
Phi Alpha Theta and the College of Liberal Arts jointly hosted a special screening of 12 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of Solomon Northrup on Tuesday, September 30 at The Cove.
More than fifty people, including students, faculty, and staff, were treated to a guest appearance by local New Orleans actor Bryan Batt, who played the role of Judge Turner in the film. Batt shared a number of stories about the making of the film and his interactions with actors like Benedict Cumberbatch.
The two-hour and fourteen-minute film, winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, was not for the faint of heart and depicted in all its horror the brutality and degradation of slavery. Based on the book of the same name, the film became a project after Sue Eakin, a professor of History at LSU-Alexandria, rediscovered the book and collaborated with UNO Professor Joseph Logsdon to bring the story back into the mainstream.
After the film, students shared a variety of emotions ranging from anger to frustration to sadness. 12 Years a Slave is an uncomfortable film that challenges the canards that slavery was a benevolent institution and that slaves were happy and content with their situation. It should be required viewing for all those in education and power no matter what certain leaders may say.
Many thanks to Dean Randy Kearns and Assistant Dean Daniel Gonzales of the College of Liberal Arts and the Staff at UNO Catering for providing refreshments throughout the film.
