1
Bring him here.
In the time of our ancestors
the cycle of our people lay
in the hands of the children.
A child's position in the
tribe was left to the maker.
Children bearing marks were
brought before the elders
there, they were given titles...
titles that would last
a lifetime.
Wisdom...
Courage...
Vision.
This boy holds the holy marks
of our ancestors.
He is a leader.
He is a prophet.
We should listen to him.
We should listen to him.
I see you!
Nat?
Nat!
All right, you win again.
Come on out!
Sam? You come on
in here for supper!
Yessum.
Bye, Nat.
Bye.
You so much as bat an eye,
I'm gonna blow you
from here to hell.
What you doin' out here, boy?
Pickin' up some food
for my master,
Benjamin Turner.
In the middle of the night?
Turn around.
Where your pass at?
Bring it on.
C'mon! Bring it!
Get back.
You think you're smarter
than me, don't you, boy?
No, sir.
Jesse, who do we call a nigger
who done think he can
outsmart a white man?
A dead nigger.
Turn around.
On your knees.
You done this to yourself, boy.
- What happened?
- Go on to bed.
I got caught stealing food.
I killed a slave catcher.
I gotta go.
You take care of your mom
and Nana, you hear?
You a child of god.
You got purpose.
It's in you.
The lord put it there,
and there ain't nothing nobody
can do to take it away.
You hear?
Yes, sir.
Now you go ahead on
and go to bed.
I'll be back for y'all
as soon as I can.
Go on back to bed.
Go on to bed, girl! We sleep!
Bridget! Nancy!
Y'all wake up!
Isaac's in a lot of trouble.
I need one of y'all
to tell me where he is.
Don't know where he is, Massa.
We ain't seen him all night.
You sure?
Ben, I'm gonna ask you to leave.
Huh?
A white man
has lost his life tonight.
You know like I do
what that mean. Get!
Now, any harm done
to these people,
I'm gonna call the sheriff!
I'm serious!
None of y'all know
where he is, huh?
No, sir.
Goddamnit.
What about you, boy?
He don't know nothing, either.
Where's your daddy at?
Now listen, you don't tell me
where he's at,
someone else is gonna find him,
and they gonna kill him.
You tell me, I'll go get him.
I'll bring him back here safe.
All right?
Tell me where daddy's at.
Say it. Spit something
outta that mouth! Say it!
Tell me where he's at!
Goddamnit.
You that nigger's boy,
all right.
If I find out
y'all's been lying,
I'm gonna come back here,
I ain't gonna be so nice...
Oh, Massa, please! Please!
Massa, please! Oh, lord!
All right, that's...
That's enough! Stop!
You best teach that boy
some manners.
Next time he look me in the eye,
you gonna get the same thing
what waitin' for his pa.
Mind if I help you?
No, ma'am.
Samuel told me
something this morning
I wanted to ask you about.
He said, Nat knows how to read.
Nat don't not know how to read.
Part of me couldn't
believe it myself.
So I tested him.
Sure enough,
there he was
sounding out letters.
You have him come by the house
tomorrow after lunch.
He don't mean no harm.
I'ma whip him good
the next time I see him.
Whip him? Nonsense.
I'm gonna teach him.
If the good lord gave
that boy a gift to read,
we'd be remiss
to let it go to waste.
And don't expect him back
anytime soon.
He'll be living with us
in the main house for a while.
Lessons best not be disturbed
in the beginning.
Yes, ma'am.
It's okay, baby.
It's okay. It ain't real.
It ain't real. It's all right.
It's in your mind.
It's in your mind.
Momma's here now.
Want my poppa.
Me too, baby.
Me too.
Put your arms through.
How handsome.
He'll be all right.
These books are for white folks.
They're full of things your
kind wouldn't understand.
But I do have a special
one just for you.
And guess what?
It's the best book ever written.
You're a special boy, Nathaniel.
Study hard and heed
my instructions, hear?
Your life,
it'll never be the same.
I'll see to that.
Yes, missus.
"Genesis.
In the beginning..."
In the beginning...
Here, this word here, "the."
That's tricky.
Now, these letters "t-h."
Whenever you see them...
"cleanse your hands,
ye sinners...
"And purify your hearts,
ye double-minded.
"Be afflicted, and mourn,
and weep.
"Let your laughter
be turned to mourning,
"and your joy to heaviness."
James 4, chapter 8 and 9.
Turn with me, if you
would, to James 1.
Holding on to the goodness
of the lord.
I spoke to Ben
before he went on
to be with the lord.
He felt you'd be more useful
to our family as a field hand.
I'm sorry, Nat.
Now, you gonna start here,
and you're gonna work
your way down yonder.
And I'll be right over here.
You hear?
Ah!
Thank you, brother.
I had fainted, unless I had
believed to see,
the goodness of the lord
in the land of the living.
Wait on the lord,
be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen
thine heart.
Wait, I say,
on the lord.
Let us bow our heads.
Sam, that sister of yours,
gonna make a fine wife indeed.
It's been a true blessing
seeing her develop
into the woman that she is.
It'd be an even better blessing
seein' her and momma
put their feet under his
table instead of mine.
I gotta say,
Sam, your slaves sure
do know how to behave.
I'm impressed with them
every time I come around.
Well, they god fearin'.
One of them's a preacher.
No one's gotta tell you
the times are tough
with the drought.
It's gettin' harder for
the whites in this county
to clothe and feed
their niggers good.
Talks of insurrection
got folks scared.
I think people might
pay good money
to have them calm down a bit.
Especially by one of their own.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You seen a nigger run past here?
Naw. Then again
I doze off for a few.
What about you, boy?
Best not lie now.
I know when y'all's lyin'.
No, sir.
Couple of niggers went missin'
off bill Johnson's place
this mornin'.
Say they raised up
on an overseer
before they took off.
All right, you see
somethin' let us know.
Will do.
Giddyup.
You finish up here,
I'll go square up inside.
Yes, sir.
Ma'am. The youngin',
he dropped this a step back.
Thank ya.
Whatcha think you're doin'?
He was just tryin'...
You spoke to my wife.
Where's your owner, boy?
I asked you a question.
You best goin' to put
that stick down now!
I want the sheriff.
This boy assaulted me!
He assaulted my wife!
And I'm bringin' charges!
Sheriff Floyd?
All right, you fetch him
if you like.
But in the meantime
I will give you
to the count of three
to put your stick down
before I give you
some real charges
to give him when he gets here.
You threatnin' me?
One.
Two.
C'mon, get the boy.
Let's get home.
We got sweet corn!
C'mon now!
Get your grits!
We got sweet corn here.
Here you go.
And this one here!
Strong as an ox!
Nothin' but good seed flowin'
from this here buck.
Look at them teeth. Huh?
I'll start him out at...
150?
C'mon now, I gotta
make a living here, gents.
100? 75?
Sold! Get outta here.
Put a yoke on him.
Bring her up here.
Now, consider this comely wench.
Not a day over 18.
All right, I'll start
her off at 175.
I got 175.
Do I hear two?
Now we're talkin'!
Do I got 225?
Massa, that wench there
sure would make
a good weddin' gift
for miss Catherine.
225!
You keep sayin' she been askin'.
Do I hear 250?
She looks right young,
if you ask me.
C'mon now.
You right, sir, she young.
Gimme 250.
C'mon. But with the
right teacher,
- a wench like that?
- 250.
Could be workin' a long time.
There it is! 275?
Massa, sure would be
a shame to watch her
go to waste
for such a low price.
And what the hell
would you know about
what's a little
and what's a lot, huh?
I don't know what's
gotten into you lately,
but whatever it is,
you better quit.
Are you seein' what I'm seein'?
You take this one home,
you know,
clean her up,
won't be long
before you find yourself
happier than a dog
with three balls!
Smile, bitch.
That's 250 goin' once.
250 goin' twice.
We got 275!
275 goin' once.
275 goin' twice.
Sold to that fine gentleman
in the back!
Whoa.
She be fine, sir.
I sure hope you're right.
Have your momma
get her cleaned and fed.
Start breakin' her in.
Yes, sir.
You and hark can start
on the north fence
first thing in the morning.
Yes, sir.
I ain't gonna hurt you.
Just gonna climb up
and help you out.
It's all right.
Who is this child?
What happened?
Burnin' up.
This mine! This my dress!
My dress! This my dress!
Go now! Get out, ya!
We're not gonna hurt you.
We're not gonna hurt you.
Don't take it away.
You just smile
and let them do the talkin'.
All right?
Yessum.
Afternoon, Massa.
This here cherry-Ann.
Massa.
Catherine!
Catherine, this here
is cherry-Ann.
Missus.
Oh, thank you!
Come on,
I want you to meet momma.
Momma.
Thank you.
For what?
For gettin' her better.
For makin' her so beautiful.
I didn't do nothin'.
That girl was
brought into this world
as beautiful as she could be.
It sure is sad to see you
and the missus go.
We'll be just down the road.
When we get
all good and settled,
we'll come back and visit.
On Sundays for church and that.
Well, there's no rush.
Oh.
I'm foolin'. Come here.
If y'all need anything,
or he ain't treatin'
you right, you let me know.
Yes, big brother.
I love you.
Love you, too.
Momma, you ready?
I'm worried about you, Sam.
This a big place to be
out here all by yourself.
I'll be fine.
You take care now.
All right.
Hmm.
Massa.
For the horses.
Just one.
Yes, sir.
Hi.
Hi.
I'm Nat.
I know.
Sorry for
fightin' you.
Oh, that's fine.
Um...
They're pretty.
Found them 'round here.
Thank you.
Bye.
Just as the planted crop
is harvested in its own time,
so too has the lord planted us.
Good lord.
The good lord, the good lord
will finish his work in us.
So, in closing, I urge
you all to take heart,
for god is at work in your life,
and he will not stop until
his job is done. Amen?
Amen.
Dismissed!
It seems like it's been forever
since I last seen you.
There were a few miles
between us.
Just feels like so many more.
How is it there?
It's fine. Not like
what I come from 'fore here.
Most days I'm just tending
to miss Elizabeth
or fetching this-that
for miss Catherine.
You know if y'all coming back
next week for church?
I know as much as you.
I suppose if missus
is suggesting it,
master Reese
don't mind the trip.
I sure wouldn't wanna wait
another season to see ya.
Me, neither.
My Nana got it
from my grandaddy.
She brought it with her when
she was taken from Africa.
Said it was the only thing
that kept her mind free.
It's pretty.
I want you to have it.
In case I don't see you
for a while, you
have something
that reminds you of me.
I don't know
if it's right I take it.
'Sides, I don't have
nothing to give you
to remind you of me.
I spend all my time
thinkin' about you already.
Cherry?
Come help with momma.
It's time to go.
Who there?
Nat?
What are you doin'?
I shoulda done that earlier.
You came here to kiss me?
No, no, no.
I ain't got much.
My faith, momma, Nana.
Up until now, enough.
Cherry, I'd feel right honored
if you'd be my wife.
I'd treat ya right.
Protect ya with my life.
If you'd have me.
Yes. Yes, I will.
What now?
Uh...
I talk it over with Samuel.
Get us a cabin set up
when y'all visit.
All right.
Heavenly father.
We are gathered here today
to join together
these two children,
who have found the love
that exists in you.
The love that surrounds
all of us all the time.
We bless these children
together with our hands
that the love that flows
through our hands...
Well, hello, reverend.
I wasn't expecting
to see you around
these parts 'till Sunday.
What brings you around
the middle of the week?
Never a wrong time...
to bring a blessing
to a brother in Christ.
Oh lord.
Is this blessing
gonna cost me money?
Not a penny.
To the contrary, in fact.
Isaiah, run us out a water.
Gin, if you please.
So, I put the word out
about your preacher.
Got a couple of farmers
willing to turn a good coin.
Is that right?
Mmm-hmm.
Every bit counts these days.
Oh.
Ah!
Mmm.
If your boy
does to their liking,
you could get outta debt.
Save your farm.
And all I gotta do
is let Nat preach.
That's it.
Now, I'm not vouching for the
character of these fellas.
What business
they runnin' or how.
I'm just here to tell you
that there's
an opportunity there.
One you got the means
to capitalize on.
Whereabouts we talkin'?
In Southampton, at the start.
Well, sounds good enough.
I'll send you the details.
Names, locations, and dates,
I'd say by tomorrow.
You already booked the dates.
I figured you'd say yes.
What's in it for you?
The pure joy of knowing
that I'm helping a brother.
And, uh...
Oh, here it comes.
Well, if I was to receive
a gift offering,
I certainly wouldn't object.
You are caution, reverend.
I am but a servant.
Here's some salt pork
and some tomatoes
for when you get hungry.
Thank you, momma.
Don't y'all go
getting' worried now.
I'll be back directly.
I know.
Pray the lord
brings you back safe.
You Massa Turner's nigger?
I'm Nat.
Massa Turner's in here.
Come on.
- We're here?
- Yes, sir.
Sam Turner.
Made it right on time.
Joseph Randall.
This here's Abner.
This little one? Jasper.
This the preacher?
Yes, sir.
Nat?
Evening, sir.
He's a little young, ain't he?
Why, he's old enough.
You've been studying the
word awhile, haven't you?
Studyin'?
I can barely train my niggers
to learn their own names.
Come on!
It's hard times
for small farmers
like you and myself.
Breakin' even's hard enough,
but getting ahead's impossible.
So to save some,
I cut them back to a meal
a day per head now.
A few of them
started getting' fidgety,
so I had Abner come down on 'em.
Abner, here, he's my
only real protection.
Now, they needs to mind me.
You speak on that.
They treasure in heaven
from submittin' and all.
If they gets to moanin'
or carryin' on,
you don't pay 'em no mind,
because they lazy as all hell.
They do anything
to get outta work.
You ready, boy?
Listen up!
Got a preacher here tonight.
Come here, boy.
Now, he's a nigger here
like y'all,
and he's here to talk to you
about the lord.
So you listen to him
and you might just make it
into heaven, you hear?
Brothers and sisters.
I lead you to Peter 2:18.
"Slaves, submit yourselves
"to your masters
with all respect."
"Not only to those who are
good and considerate,
"but also to those
who are harsh."
You sure you don't wanna
stay the night?
Got some fine Brandy
and a couple of choice
wenches in the cellar.
Get Abner here
to strike out the fiddle
and sit around the fire,
tell some old lies, huh?
No. We best be gettin' back
before sun go down.
All right.
Suit yourself.
Would take
a bottle of that Brandy,
if you could spare it.
Oh, sure thing. Abner?
I got a chocolate one here
that does it right every time.
You sure you don't wanna stay?
No, they expectin' us back.
You know how it is.
All right.
You's a smart man, Sam.
Man make a fortune
with that boy.
Great doin' business with you.
Let's go.
You all right?
Yeah.
The dress there.
That the one you
were wearing that day?
Yes.
Momma offered you one of hers?
She did.
"Abigail Hayne."
My momma.
"Madison Hayne." Who was that?
That's me.
My momma,
she put this dress on me
the day they took me from her.
Showed me this here patch.
Told me to never forget
who I was,
and that I had a momma.
And that she was somewhere,
missing me and loving me.
I was 13.
I can call ya Madison,
if ya like.
You can call me
whatever you want.
I'll call you queen.
What's wrong?
We're gonna have a baby.
A baby?
You sure?
You mad?
Mad?
No. No.
I ain't mad.
"as the eyes of the servants
"look unto the hand
of their masters
"and the eyes of a maid
"look unto the hand
of her mistress..."
"and Noah awoke from his wine
"and knew what his youngest
son had done unto him.
"And he said,
'cursed be Canaan.'"
"servant of servants
shall he be unto his brethren.
"And he said,
blessed be the lord,
"god of Shem, and Canaan..."
Wait here.
I'll go check 'round back.
Yessum.
Whatcha doin' on my land?
Hey! Call off your dog!
Whatcha doin' on my land?
No! He's with me!
Who the hell are you?
I'm Samuel Turner.
Reverend Walthall sent us.
Fella with the nigger preacher.
Come on!
Let's go find Earl.
You all right? Come on.
Niggers is niggers here.
Now, we don't treat none
no different than another.
We got rules.
Cost of breakin' 'em,
stealin', sassin',
or any other thing
that Earl and I think
worth dealin' with,
will be paid for in skin.
You interfere with that,
we'll shoot you where you stand.
Got any problem with that,
you can stop right now and go
on back where you came from.
Come on now! Come on!
Earl!
This here is Sam Turner,
fella with the nigger preacher.
Where you say you come from?
We from here.
Southampton county.
Just south of Nottoway.
Mmm.
Lotta Yankees makin'
their way down that way.
Rabble-rousin', stirring shit
on our way of life.
They're pullin' that same shit.
Earl. Got a little problem.
Which one?
This one.
How long?
Mmm. About a day or so.
You ain't gonna eat, hmm?
You gonna eat? Come on.
You ain't gonna eat?
Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?
All right.
If it ain't one thing,
it's another.
You wonderin' why we could
use that nigger of yours?
You're seein' it firsthand.
All right, get his mouth open.
Well, if it ain't the yanks...
it's the drought.
If not the drought...
it's goddamn mutiny.
Get a funnel in there.
Truth is,
even the meanest nigger's
fearful of the gospel.
Maybe a good word
from your boy there,
discipline word, go a lot
further than my pistol would.
Nat's a good preacher.
I don't right care
how good he is,
long as he say
what he's supposed to.
Brethren.
I pray you sing to the lord
a new song.
Sing praise in assembly
of the righteous.
Let the saints be joyful
in glory.
Let them sing aloud
on their beds.
Let the high praise of god
be on the mouths of the saints,
and a two-edge sword
in their hand
to execute vengeance
on the demonic nations,
and punishment on those peoples
to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles
with fetters of iron
to execute on them
this written judgment.
This honor hath all his saints!
Praise the lord!
Praise the lord!
Sing to him a new song!
Praise the lord!
Praise the lord!
Don't suppose
you got a pass anywhere
underneath that pretty dress.
No, sir.
I belongs to Massa Guiles
and this here his property.
You sassin' me, girl?
No, sir.
Anybody that knows nothin'
knows that state law says
that if a nigger's less than
10 paces from a tree line,
that nigger need a pass.
Well, sir, I can get one.
You ain't goin' nowhere.
Either you gonna show me a pass,
or you gonna show me
somethin' else.
What?
I'm sorry to disturb ya,
but Nat's gotta talk to you.
Somethin' awful had happened.
Whatever it is, just tell him
I'll get to it in the mornin'.
Massa, if you could just see Nat
for just a moment, I...
Goddamnit, Isaiah.
All right, tell him I'll
meet him on the front porch.
I'm right here, sir.
Might as well come in then.
Sir, I am awfully sorry
about all this. I...
What is it, Nat?
Cherry... she's been
hurt real bad.
Whatcha mean hurt?
A group of men, sir.
Isaiah, fetch me some paper.
Yeah.
All right,
you should go down there.
Take Jupiter,
but don't start no trouble.
Stay the night, come back
first thing in the morning.
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
God's gonna punish
whoever did this.
Monsters.
Nat?
I'm right here.
I'm right here.
It's me now.
I'm right here.
I'm sorry.
No, no. You don't apologize.
You don't owe that to nobody.
You need to tell me
who done this to you.
'Cause I'm gonna
take care of it, you hear?
On my soul.
I need you to tell me now.
"Put up again thy sword
into his place.
"For all they
that take the sword
"shall pass with the sword."
You taught me that.
I need you here.
Joanna, too.
Leave this to the lord.
You wanted to see me, sir?
Yeah. How's cherry?
I'm believin' she'll be fine.
Good. Good.
Not many woulda
let you go like I did.
Thank you, sir.
Mmm.
We're having
a big get-together tonight
with a lot of very
important people.
Kind of like
when daddy was alive.
So I'm gonna need you
and a couple of others
in the house.
Anyone who's had experience
servin' and being
respectable help.
Yes, sir.
Can't tell ya how important
this is for all of us.
If we get this right,
the Turner name
will mean something again.
Isaiah.
Yes, sir.
As you all know,
this annual dinner
was a tradition
of our daddy many years ago.
And for all he believed,
he placed family, faith,
and tradition at the top
of his priority list.
Twenty years later,
those same priorities have
kept this property afloat.
That and the cash down
from your colored preacher.
Yeah!
That, too.
May god continue
to bless all of us
for many generations to come.
Hear, hear.
Nat, would you please
lead us in prayer?
Reverend, I trust
you wouldn't mind.
I guess not.
Heavenly father.
We come to thank you
for your word and your will.
We pray for and thank you
for your protection
and your promise.
And in our obedience,
you will be an enemy
to our enemies.
That you will oppose those
who oppose us.
Continue to guide us, o lord,
and we will continue to follow.
Through fine tribulation
we will push forward,
recognizing only you
as our source and strength.
In your holy name we pray.
Amen.
Bon appetit.
Daddy always said,
"three black peppercorns
in a glass of port,
"and you got yourself
a excellent digestif."
Well, black is always tasty.
Especially a nice piece
of black meat. Sweet. Juicy.
I ain't doin' it, all right?
Naw, naw. I need you
to get out of here!
Ain't gonna happen, man.
You just come out here...
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
Ho, ho, ho!
What's goin' on, huh?
- I ain't doin' it.
- Huh?
- I ain't doin' it, Nat.
- Doin' what?
He'd have to lynch me first.
Lynch ya?
What are we talkin' about?
One of Samuel's guests...
What?
One of Samuel's guests
requested Esther, and, uh...
Just go and talk to Samuel.
Just tell him what happened.
Tell him what it was
and he'll straighten this out.
But Samuel sent me
over here personally, Nat.
I can't do it, Nat.
I won't.
Brother hark...
But, what...
Who are you?
Brother hark, do you think
that I wanna
come over here for this?
You here, ain't ya?
Nat!
Where is she?
Samuel, sir.
Please, you can't do this.
Everything all right?
Oh, it's just fine.
I'll be inside directly.
I hope you won't be alone.
I assure you, I will not be.
If you mess this up for me,
my hand to god,
I will lynch every
one of you come mornin!
Do you understand me?
Fetch her.
Yes, sir.
It's okay.
Where is he, Nat?
Where's god now?
Hark.
Excuse me.
I'm looking for
a preacher named Nat.
He's been banned
from every church
in the county for his sins.
He's lucky that's all he
got for what he done.
The world has its way
with dealing with the immoral.
Above all those
who cast that immorality
on the children as he has.
But no one is without sin,
miss Elizabeth.
And this man wants to repent
and be delivered.
As a Shepherd of the lord,
it's my duty to serve.
So...
I'd like to baptize him.
The hell you will!
Jethro, you will
mind your mouth.
With respect, miss Elizabeth,
a nigger can't baptize
no white man.
I just think we should wait
for Mr. Samuel to get back.
Jethro, go wait
in the front yard.
Mr. Samuel gets back,
he'll have both of us!
I won't ask you again.
Boy, you gonna get it.
Are you sure
you want to do this, Nat?
Samuel may not like it.
Nor will a lot of other
folks around here.
Don't got
too much choice, missus.
This man still belongs to god.
When you stand between
the lord and his people,
it's a dangerous place to be.
We've been good to you.
My whole family has.
And you go on and do
something like this to me.
A nigger baptizing
a white man on my property!
Do you know
how this makes us look?
This could ruin everything
we worked for!
Boy, you better
say something and quick!
"Take heed therefore
unto yourselves,
"and to all the flock over which
"the holy ghost hath
made you overseers.
"To feed the church of god
"which he has purchased
with his own blood."
Ex...
"Exhort servants
"to be obedient
to thy own masters,
"and to please them well
"in all things
not answering again..."
"You were bought with a price,
do not become slaves of men."
"He that shall blaspheme
against the holy ghost
"hath never forgiveness,
but is in danger..."
"Beware of false prophets
"who come dressed
in sheep's clothing,
"but inwardly are
ravening wolves!"
You black bastard!
Nat!
"He that stealeth a man
and selleth him..."
Don't you eyeball me, boy!
"or if he be found
in his hand, he shall surely
"be put to death!"
Get him to the post.
Hey, boy.
If you make it
out of this alive,
I'm gonna ride you harder
than hogs on slop.
Die.
You learned your lesson, boy?
Oh, yes, sir, I've learned.
Go on, get him off.
You're done preachin'
for a little while.
And I don't want you
runnin' off with any groups,
unless me and Jethro
are there, you understand?
Yes, sir.
All right, go and get
yourself cleaned up.
Be back in the field
come morning.
Brother, you all right?
Hey! Hey!
I watched your grandfather die
in old land.
Saw him give up the ghost
with my own eyes.
And he saw me.
He harnessed
the holy spirit that day.
Yes, he did.
I was proud of him.
So proud.
I still thank god
that he died that day.
That he didn't live
to see the things I seen.
To watch a strong man
broken down
is a terrible thing.
Hey, Nana.
The stitches held up good.
Nana?
You all right?
Mostly.
I need you to round up
a few men you trust.
Have them meet us
at the big cypress
at cabin pond night after next.
Hark.
He's still here, brother.
Even now.
This is Simon.
Samuel bought him
a month back in Norfolk.
I remember.
Welcome, brother.
And you know Nelson.
Welcome.
This is will.
Word travels fast. Welcome.
Hey! This grown folk's
business! Get! Get!
Hold on.
Come on over here.
Come from Randall's?
Yes, sir.
He's just a boy.
So was David.
Come on. Have a seat.
I've been following
the lord a long time.
Preachin', citing scripture,
sharing the gospel
from the few pages
and sections I've been allowed.
But I've gone back through
this word, all of it.
With new eyes.
I see now, for every verse
they use to support our bondage,
there's another
demanding our freedom.
Every verse they use
to justify our torture,
there's another damning them
to hell for those actions.
Lord has spoken to me.
Visions of what's to come.
A rise of good against evil.
The first shall be last,
and the last shall be first.
Brothers, we've been chosen.
What are we gonna do?
Same as David and Gideon
and Joshua and Samson.
We'll fight.
The six of us?
At first.
But once it begins,
our brothers and sisters
will join.
There's a whole lot of whites.
How many slaves you think
there are in the county?
On all the plantations?
How many whites?
But they got guns.
We'll take the armory
in Jerusalem.
We'll have guns, too.
Jerusalem?
That's right.
It's only 10 miles north.
We'll start right here
at Turner's
and fight our way there.
By then we'll number
in the hundreds,
thousands even.
The grapevine's ablaze
with talks of fightin'.
Slaves all over havin' meetins'.
They waitin' on something.
They waitin' on us.
We make a stop at Fowler place?
We will.
I'm with you.
Me, too.
- When we fight?
- Soon.
The lord will give us a sign.
Until then we remain steadfast,
ready to strike at the moment
of the lord's call.
With the strength of our father,
we'll cut the head
from the serpent.
We'll destroy them all.
Somethin' wrong?
There was a meeting
a few nights ago.
And although I was not
privy to what was said,
I can only assume
by the secrecy that it was
not altogether productive.
Now, I don't know what ideas
is floatin' around in your head,
but I been around here
long enough to know
that the result of certain ideas
is not gonna get you
what you want.
All I want,
I want for the oppressed
people of god.
You want death for them?
For your wife?
For your daughter?
If it be god's will.
God's will?
And who determined you
to be the instrument
of such a thing?
He has.
You just make sure that he's
the one doin' the orderin'.
Man of god is called
to lead in love.
Anything else will leave
us all worse off.
He is a god of love, Nat.
Don't you forget that.
I won't.
Nor will I forget
he's a god of wrath.
Mmm...
The lord's calling me.
To stand and fight.
I knew this day would come.
I told myself
I wouldn't be scared.
All my life,
I've been praying
for the lord to help us
or to send someone who could.
We all have.
Just wasn't expecting it
to be my own husband.
If the lord's
called you to fight,
you fight.
You fight for me,
and Joanna.
You fight for us all.
Hmm?
Who's there?
Nat?
Yes.
Wait, goddamnit!
Damn it!
Momma?
Momma.
Nat? Oh lord,
I slept too late.
No, no...
Momma.
You won't have to work today.
You free.
The battle's begun, ma.
Simon.
Simon will take you to Reese's.
And I need you to take care
of cherry and Joanna
'till I get back, you hear?
What's wrong?
Nothing.
I'm proud of you.
What did you do, boy? Huh?
Huh? You killed them, boy?
Is that what you did?
You kill them and you kill us!
You killed all of us.
We already dead.
We already dead!
You dead.
We already dead.
We dead now!
Your
earthly master is gone.
You're now free men and women,
servants of only the lord.
As the sword of the lord
bears down on our enemies,
our ancestors
and unborn children rejoice.
Are we dead?
No.
I say we are now alive,
seeing through eyes
that have been denied us
since being born into the
darkness of bondage.
Stand with us.
Let your other captive
brothers and sisters
also know freedom.
Stand that our children
for generations
to come will know
that with the supernatural
power of god,
we straightened our backs
against the works
of the evil one!
Stand with us.
Can I do this myself?
The boy! He gone!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Get down!
Hey, preacher!
Hark!
Are you out there?
Tell the men to fall back.
What?
If we have a gun battle now,
we'll never make it
to Jerusalem.
Me and my boys is ready!
I want my revenge!
This ain't about revenge, hark!
You all gonna hang!
You hear me?
All of ya!
The root,
not the branch.
We must stay focused, brother.
Will! Fall back! C'mon!
C'mon, y'all. C'mon.
Let's fall back, y'all!
You all right?
It's all of us.
This it?
Hark, what time you think it is?
5:30, 5:35.
What?
By now I'd be two rows down,
half a bag full.
I'd be headed to the barn,
gettin' ready to feed the stock.
I'd be boiling
water in the smokehouse,
thinkin' 'bout dumping
on Massa's head.
I'd be tying the barrels,
sealin' cracks.
Checkin' the leaves and straw.
Packin' and stackin' 'em up.
Dodgin' that cracker's lash.
Not today.
No, sir.
Not today.
On to Jerusalem?
On to Jerusalem.
On to Jerusalem!
All right, this is how
this is gonna work.
You're gonna throw
the weapons to the ground,
then you're gonna lie down.
Do it.
The lord is our light
and our salvation.
Of whom we shall fear?
Throw your weapons
to the ground!
The lord is the strength
of our lives.
Of whom shall we be afraid?
When the wicked,
even our enemies
and our foes came upon us
to eat up our flesh,
they stumbled and fell!
Goddamn, niggers.
Though a host
shall encamp against us,
our hearts will not fear!
Ready!
Though war
shall rise against us,
in this we will be confident!
Aim!
Rebel!
Come on!
Get down!
Will!
Get back!
I'm all right.
Cherry.
It's Nat, love.
Keep on workin'.
They lookin' for you.
They hurt you?
No.
How's Joanna?
She fine.
Momma?
She fine, too.
Keep on workin' now.
Any word on the other men?
They been hanged.
All of them.
They killin' people everywhere
for no reason at all
but being black.
They say the killin' won't stop
'till they get you.
All these months
I thought...
I thought you were dead, too.
I'm here, love.
I'll always be.
I miss you so much.
Cherry?
Who you talkin' to?
I's just talkin' to myself.
Wishin' things was different.
Hey!
That's him right there!
Kill that nigger!
I know you're angry.
Trust me, I am too.
This boy committed mass murder
and will hang for all to see.
Get him up.
Go to hell!
Animal!
Hang him!
Is there something you wanna say
to these good people?
I'm ready.