The new documentary Prince Among Slaves tells the true story of African prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori, who was captured by warring tribesmen in 1788, sold and shipped to America, and enslaved by a Southern plantation owner for more than 40 years. Based on the book by Terry Alford, the film tells Sori's tale with first-person accounts, photographs and a wide array of historical documents, including diaries, newspaper articles and plantation registers. WMNF-88.5 FM has joined forces with the Tampa Chapter of NAACP-Hillsborough and the Council on American-Islamic Relations to present the Bay area premiere of Slaves, and there's a post-screening panel discussion featuring producer Michael Wolfe, Dr. Cheryl Rodriguez of the USF Institute on Black Life, and St. Petersburg Times Media Critic Eric Deggans; WMNF's Empowerment Hour host Carolyn Lighty moderates. Thurs., Jan. 31, 7 p.m., Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., downtown Tampa, $10, 813-274-8286, princetampa.org. The documentary airs on PBS Monday, Feb. 4.
This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2008.