Free In Deed, Jake Mahaffy, African American Films, African American Entertainment, African American Art, KOLUMN Magazine, KOLUMN

Review: Faith Found and Lost in ‘Free in Deed’ | The New York Times

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Review: Faith Found and Lost in ‘Free in Deed’ | The New York Times



[dropcap]Set[/dropcap] in present-day Memphis, it focuses on two people who are just barely clinging to the margins. Abe (David Harewood) works as a janitor, pushing brooms and cleaning up other people’s waste; he spends much of the rest of his time in church. Melva (Edwina Findley Dickerson), a single mother, has a desk job but pours much of her energy into the care of her two children, particularly a son she can scarcely control and whose outbursts slip into frightening violence. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″]

Abe and Melva meet through church. A tentative bond takes shape amid the humble pews and reverberant call and response, as the Pentecostal worshipers echo the resounding ministering. Soon, along with a few other congregants, Abe forms a prayer circle with the intention of healing Melva’s son, Benny (RaJay Chandler). Together, the congregants pray over Benny, who’s lain supine on the altar on a simple cloth. As he moans and sometimes thrashes, they praise and they plead, begging for help from above while pledging their love. They’re seeking a miracle for the child who increasingly looks like a sacrifice.

Free In Deed, Jake Mahaffy, African American Films, African American Entertainment, African American Art, KOLUMN Magazine, KOLUMN

Free In Deed, Jake Mahaffy, African American Films, African American Entertainment, African American Art, KOLUMN Magazine, KOLUMN

Free In Deed, Jake Mahaffy, African American Films, African American Entertainment, African American Art, KOLUMN Magazine, KOLUMN

Free In Deed, Jake Mahaffy, African American Films, African American Entertainment, African American Art, KOLUMN Magazine, KOLUMN


NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE | WASHINGTON, DC

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become charter members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution. (Website).