Harriet Tubman Comes to Life on Saturday

Trial & Tribulations is honored to have Kathryn Harris joining us with her presentation of Harriet Tubman on Saturday, Sept 18, at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. at Independence Pioneer Village.  While Harriet is not part of the Matson Slave Trial story, as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, she represents the only route to freedom for many slaves. This presentation compliments the Bryants story by highlighting the struggles that many other slaves endured to achieve freedom.

Harriet Tubman was born between 1820 and 1823; having been born into slavery, there are no written records of her birth. In 1849, destined for freedom, she escaped to Pennsylvania with the help of abolitionist friends. Harriet made her first trip back to the south to free other slaves just two years later.

Harriet eventually conducted numerous trips on the Underground Railroad and led some 300 people to freedom. Following the Civil War, Harriet was a part of the Freedman’s Bureau, which worked to teach former slaves to read and write, present themselves for work, and be their own masters.

Although Tubman's travels and activities didn't bring her to Illinois, she does have a connection to Abraham Lincoln. In the 1850s, Tubman was given land by William H. Seward, then the governor of New York. Seward would later become a member of Lincoln's cabinet.

About a decade ago, Harris was asked by a colleague to join in an outreach project of bringing history into the schools. So when she was approached by a colleague and asked if she would give it a try for an upcoming program, she agreed.  "I've always been a bit of a ham," Harris says.
                                              
To prepare for her portrayal, Harris read every book on Tubman she could find. She read encyclopedia entries, books about the Underground Railroad and even children's level biographies. "It became a passion," Harris said.
                                              
Phil Funkenbusch, director of the shows division at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, said Harris is a natural when it comes to her portrayal of Tubman. "It's almost like she channels her," Funkenbusch said. "She gets inside her own skin."

All told, Harris estimates she does about 30 Harriet Tubman performances a year. Along with schools, she goes to churches and civic groups. Harris explains, “My goal is to give people a better understanding of slavery and how one person can make a difference.”

Kathryn M. Harris serves as Library Services Director at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (ALPL), formerly the IL State Historical Library (ISHL), in Springfield, IL.  Harris joined the ISHL staff in 1990 as the Supervisor of Reference and Technical Services and was named ISHL Director in 1996.  With the opening of the ALPL in 2004, Harris assumed her current title.  Harris says that the highlight of her professional career was being involved in the planning and construction of the ALPLM.  

She is active in  various library and history-related organizations and has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award, Springfield YWCA Women of Excellence Award, the Webster Plaque and the President’s Award from the Springfield Chapter NAACP.

Harris has appeared on stage as “Sadie Delany” in local productions of “Having Our Say” and she has also portrayed “Elizabeth Keckley” in “The Last of Mrs. Lincoln”, both performances having been presented in the Union Theatre at the ALPM. 

Comments in the Mattoon & Charleston Newspapers from last year for tell an excellent program in 2010

Bill Lair, Managing Editor of the Mattoon Journal-Gazette and the Charleston Times-Courier had the following to say about T & T:

"The people of Oakland did an outstanding job in bringing the people, passions, morals and legalities of the time to life...While I have known the basics of the Matson slave trial for many years, I learned so much more on Saturday...Originally, my wife Cheryl and I thought we might just go for the meal and the play. But the first-person interpreters really added to the understanding of the magnitude of the case...Roger Ashmore, a descendant of Gideon Ashmore, and Kim McGee posed as Ashmore and Rutherford outside of Dr. Rutherford’s historic home. They did a great job of portraying the two key figures in the story and explaining their involvement and their willingness to take action on their beliefs...Marylee McGee, Kim’s wife, portrayed Mary Corbin. She was a hoot! It was not difficult to get a sense of the real Mary Corbin’s temper and charm when visiting with her at a cabin at Independence Pioneer Village. The interpreters, as well as the actors in the play, all are local residents. Three performers from Indianapolis, also at Pioneer Village, portrayed freeman Anthony Bryant, Jane Bryant and Lucy Dupee, a resident of the black community that was just north of Oakland. I don’t know their names but they brought emotion to the roles so visitors could get a sense of the misery and cruelty of slavery..."Three Fifths of a Man” was the play written and directed by David Jorns, former president of Eastern Illinois University. It was more like readers theater, with few props, and very fast-paced. The cast sparkled...Incidentally, I thought the play treated Lincoln a bit harsh but the Matson slave trial is about so much more than Lincoln. It was a polished performance by all."

 

Many of the interpreters and several of the actors will return to their roles this year.  The play has a couple of extra characters, and special activities have been added for Saturday (though any ticket will admit you to those events).  Get your tickets today by clicking on contact us on the website.

2010 Meal Catered by Stovepipe Grill & Smokehouse

The 1847 meal this year is catered by the Stovepipe Grill & Smokehouse at Lincoln Springs Resort outside Charleston, Illinois.  The meal will have smoked turkey and ham, a vinegar coleslaw, stewed tomatoes and okra, chunky applesauce, cornbread, vegetarian baked beans, and bread pudding.  These are all dishes that were available on the Illinois prairie in that period.  It will be delicious!

Auditions for Three Fifths of a Man

Local amateur actors and actresses are invited to audition to become a part of history, or at least to portray characters and events from history.

Open auditions for the original play Three Fifths of a Man, about the 1847 Matson Slave Trial at which Abraham Lincoln represented a slave owner for the only time in his law career, will be held on Monday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. in the Columbian Building in Oakland Illinois.  The building is located at the corner of Pike and Main Streets on the picturesque town square.

Male and females over the age of 16 are welcome and no prior experience is needed to audition.  One minute prepared auditions are welcome, but not necessary.  Tryouts will involve reading from the script written and directed by Dr. David Jorns.  Jorns has a PhD. in Theater History from UCLA and has been on faculty at several universities in Missouri and Illinois.  He has directed over 50 plays and is currently teaching theater history classes for Eastern Illinois University at Parkland College.

The mostly male cast will portray real people from 1847 highlighting their inner motivations as well as the historical events.  Jorns explains, “It’s so unlike the history we know from school.  Performers do not need any prior experience in plays to succeed, though they will be required to rehearse regularly.” Jorns is understanding of people’s prior commitments and will be as flexible as he can with rehearsal schedules.

The performance is part of an innovate historical program, Trial & Tribulations, in the evenings on September 16, 17 and 18 where audience members will informally meet seven of the characters from the trial at three historic sites in Oakland, enjoy an 1847 meal, and attend the performance of this play.

The program is made possible in part by a grant from the Ruth and Vaughn Jaenike Access to the Arts Outreach Program of the College of Arts & Humanities, Eastern Illinois University.

Trial & Tribulations 2010

Trial & Tribulations is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 16-18, 2010 with programs for school groups on Thursday and Friday mornings and in the evenings each day for the general public. Watch here for more details as they evolve.

Interpreters for 7 Characters in Place

Visitors to Trial & Tribulations will start the program by meeting seven of the key characters in the Matson Slave Trial story at two historic sites in Oakland. The characters will be portraying Dr. Hiram Rutherford, Gideon "Matt" Ashmore, Mary Corbin, Jane and Anthony Bryant, Lucy Dupee, and Abraham Lincoln from a fictitious time in the 1870s as they look back to the events of 1847. Participants can converse and ask questions with the characters as they move through the grounds of Dr. Rutherford's home, now a historic site, and Independence Pioneer Village. By having these interpreters hail from the future (even though some had died in real life by that period), they can talk about the aftermath of the trial and look back at the events with some historical perspective.

We are happy to announce that Roger Ashmore has agreed to portray his own ancestor, Matt Ashmore. Kim McGee will create the character of Dr. Rutherford. Freetown Village, a living history program from Indianapolis will bring to life the Bryants and Lucy Dupee. Lincoln and Corbin are yet to be finalized, but we'll let you know soon who will portray them.

Characters in "Three Fifths of a Man" by Dr. David Jorns

Currently the following characters are in the play:

Women: The three female roles are interlocutors or narrators who move the play along.

• Mary Corbin, the future wife of Robert Matson, his housekeeper/mistress and mother of one of his children was between 26 and 32 born in Kentucky or Virginia, possibly divorced and her temper caused the Bryants, the slave family, to flee.
• Mary Chestnut, age 24, South Carolinian aristocracy, her father was governor and a US Senator, her husband was a lawyer and later also a US Senator, married 7 years at time of trial in 1847, witty, active in husbands political life, and one of the most important diarists of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Men:

• Dr. Hiram Rutherford, age 32, born in Pennsylvania and educated at a medical college in Philadelphia, widow of 2 years and father of one boy, lived in Illinois for seven years in 1847, abolitionist.
• William Lloyd Garrison, age 42 Massachusetts resident, newspaper editor, founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society, very articulate and radical abolitionists. Famous nationally.
• Matt Ashmore, age 37, born in Tennessee, but had lived in this part of Illinois since he was 4 years old, tavern owner, school teacher, town founder.
• Orlando B. Ficklin, age 39, attorney, born in Kentucky, served in Illinois General Assembly, owned $4,000 in real estate, educated at Transylvania University, elected to Congress in 1843-1849.
• Abraham Lincoln, age 38, beardless, attorney, married for 5 years with 2 children, he was well-known and respected in his career, had been elected to Congress and would leave for there in two weeks after the trial, practicing law with Herndon for last six years.
• Robert Matson, age 51, Kentuckian, fairly wealthy, owned slaves, kind of a scoundrel, bachelor, served in Kentucky Legislature many years earlier.
• Usher Linder, age 38, Kentuckian, former Illinois Attorney General, member of the Illinois General Assembly, liked his drink, was a recognized orator.
• William Gilman, age 46, Kentuckian, tavern owner, lived in Illinois 7 years, not very well educated though served as Justice of the Peace.
• Joe Dean, age 52, Kentuckian, at one time owned two slaves, but owned no land in Illinois, but lived here, kind of "white trash."
  

Volunteers Needed to Help the Project

Volunteers Needed to Direct the Following Areas:

• 1847 Meal - Contact caterer, Designate servers, Table Décor and Prep, Ticket Punch, Clean up…
• Gift Shop – Nova & Rebecca Coon Oversee setup, consignment where needed, sale of items, information…
• Costumes - Contact area resources to oversee costumes needed in all areas of event, both performance andadditional sites.
• Technical Director: Assist Dr. Jorns in the technical issues regarding preparation of performance…stage construction, lighting, adaptations of Columbian Building, etc…
• Assistant Director - Assist Dr. Jorns with note taking, props, auditions, possess love of theatre
• Lighting – Tom Hawk & Mike Rowley - Run lighting board with dimmers, work with Dr. Jorns concerning all lighting materials needed.
• Housing and meals for actors - Need to accommodate approximately 4 folks from Freetown Village (Wednesday evening through perhaps Sunday morning.)
• Town beautification - Includes signage, area business window displays etc…
• Tour guide/Hostess - Guide tour buses and school groups to proper locations, inform guests of restroom locations, show times etc…, must be friendly and enjoy working with public.
• Ticket Sales/Ushers - Handling advance orders, bus tours and seating audience for performances.
• Publicity -Work with Program Director to distribute publicity. Develop a database of area organizations, committees, school, churches etc… to promote the event.
• Musicians – Susan Humphries - Contacted to play period music intermittently and as performance requires.
• Rutherford House – Renee & Landmarks, Inc. - Recruiting volunteers for site preparation, and house tours. Includes working with Ashmore and Rutherford interpreters.
• Pioneer Village – Rev. Bob & Rob Lee - Recruiting volunteers for site preparation, and guides. Includes working with actors from Freetown Village and maybe guest lecturer.
• Museum Display- Renee & Oakland Historical Foundation - Historical Foundation museum display, set up/show documentary film, train hostess/film operators.
• Facility Maintenance - Tents, Tables, Chairs, Portable restrooms where needed, make sure facility on square is presentable and available.
• Performance Director – Dr. David Jorns - Writes script, directs theatre in the round, conducts auditions, works with lighting director etc…
• Photographer - Oversees photo shoot of entire event recruiting help as needed.

We’ve scheduled a Meeting for Volunteers on Monday, March 9^th, 6 pm in the Columbian Building to set up committees, get a visual effect of the performance, review event schedule and share the vision for the overall outcome intended for the event. Please mark your calendar today and plan to join this community endeavor.

School Groups

School classes of youth in 5th grade through 12th grade are invited to either of two presentations of the program on Friday, Sept. 18 from 9:00-11:15 a.m. or 11:45 a.m. -2:00 p.m. We can accommodate 250 students at each performance. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 217-508-9113 or e-mailing the project at trial.tribulations1847@gmail.com. Cost is $4 per student, up to two adults are free. Students will:

• Visit two historic sites & meet the people involved,
• Watch a performance about the trial,
• Address Illinois social science goals for grades 5-12,
• Challenge your preconceived notions of history.

Educational Goals:
1. Lincoln represented the master-enslaver, Matson, the only time he represented an enslaver.

2. African American’s history in Illinois includes enslaved and freedmen. Those who gained freedom chose between living here within the restrictions of the Black Laws like at Brushy Fork or colonizing to Liberia.

3. National and state laws existed about slavery that were often in conflict and the court system played a critical role in the resolution of those dilemmas.

4. Abolitionists existed in Illinois and Coles County, though their positions were very unpopular with the public.

Moral/Ethical Goals:
1. Lincoln’s role and possible motivations for participating in the trial and how that reflects on his beliefs and our perception of him.

2. The courage of the Bryant family to take action to gain their freedom and to trust the legal system to work.

3. The moral dilemma of taking public action on your beliefs for social justice despite the consequences.


Classes will move on their own bus from town to village. Schools will be divided into roughly three equal groups of 70-90 students. Volunteers will meet each bus and accompany them on each stop of their visit. Pre & Post visit materials will be provided to each registered class. Below is an outline of their visit.

Group Tours

Motor coach tours are welcome at the public programs on September 18 and 19, 2009 (4-8:30 p.m. each day or 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday). Discounted price for groups is $20/person. Ample parking is available. Tour groups will participate in the following components in small groups:
Groups may choose one of the following schedules (each tour accommodates 65 people):