being stolen and the long horrifying journey to the New World. This movie graphically displayed horrendous crimes against the African people. This was shown in the movie when 50 Africans were tied to rocks and drowned only because there was insufficient food. This movie is important because it describes and exposes what really happened in African history. It is an actual chronicle of the true events; thus bringing to life the reality of that segment of time in our ancestral history. This movie is a turning point in the way people should look toward African people. We, as the descendants of those courageous people, should be proud to come from a long line of determined proud people as seen in the movie when Cinque struggled to free himself of his chains. If young African children should see this movie it hopefully will instil pride and a sense of integrity that the Africans endured the pain that the Europeans brought onto them. An example of this is when the Spanish and Portuguese sailors would whip to death Africans for no reason. This movie should, for Africans, bring on camaraderie and should also make people of African descent determined to do well in everything that we do. I say all of this to get across the point that Africans fought and some paid with their lives to bring the future a much better life than they had. This movie is also a wake up to the many people that do not want to believe that this pinnacle in the history of the world happened and it should open the eyes of the ignorant.

The abolitionists like past President John Quincy Adams played an important role in helping to eradicate slavery. They did this by the financial and moral support to Cinque and the rest of the Africans that were put in jail after being hauled in by the US Navy. In conclusion, I welcome more movies about African history and achievements emphasising a positive future emanating from a dismal past. JAI-MICHAEL PHILLIPS Year 3 Berkeley