See the Inspiring Black History Film “The Poppaw Queen” with Discussion on Friday, Feb 21
Mary Queen's Story of Being Sold by Georgetown Jesuits and Trafficked by Alexandria Slave Traders
ALEXANDRIA, VA – “In honor of Black History Month, we are honored to show “The Poppaw Queen” at The Lyceum in Old Town this Friday, February 21,” says Patti North, Executive Director of the Alexandria Film Festival. “Doors open at 6 p.m., and the film begins at 6:30,” she added in a news release this afternoon.
Mary Queen (often named ‘The Poppaw Queen’) was born in South America and was illegally sold as an indentured servant in Maryland around 1715. In 1796, some of Mary Queen’s descendants petitioned for their freedom in the Courts of Maryland, District of Columbia, and the US Supreme Court on the claim that she was born a free woman. Many recovered their freedom, while others were unsuccessful and remained enslaved by the Jesuits. Other descendants were sold in the 1838 sale to finance Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
“Mary Queen kept her story alive through word of mouth alone. This documentary honors her memory and explores the suppressed history of slavery in Maryland,” said Malachi Robinson, the film’s director in 2023.
Malachi Robinson, a Washington D.C. native, will be on hand to take questions from the audience after the film. Robinson is a creative force whose mission “is to inspire a revolution through film, music, wellness, and collaborative art,” according to his bio. He won ‘Best Documentary’ at the 2024 Prince George’s Film Festival for The Poppaw Queen, solidifying his position as a leading voice in documentary filmmaking.
He will be joined by Bernard Cook, associate dean of Georgetown College and founding director of the university’s Film and Media Studies Program. Cook has helped to connect members of the descendant community like those depicted in the film to develop shared projects focused on reparative justice. He is currently in production on a documentary series which shares stories of the living descendants and explores the possibilities for reconciliation and justice from the descendants’ perspectives.
Tickets available in advance here. Also available at the door.
The Alexandria Film Festival is made possible with support from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the City of Alexandria, and the National Endowment of the Arts, as well as the generous support of individual donors and corporate sponsors, including: Alexandria Gazette Packet and Connection Newspapers; Alexandria Hyundai; Alexandria Living Magazine; Alexandria Times; Atlas Brew Works, Bad Ass Coffee; Burke & Herbert Bank; Cheesetique; Delia’s Mediterranean Grill, Glory Days Grill, Goodwin Living, Hadeed Rug Cleaning, Jim Connolly/Long & Foster Real Estate; Law Office of Deborah Matthews, Old Town Crier; Pond Roofing, Ted’s Montana Grill; and The Zebra.
