RICHLAND, Wash. — The story of how a slave’s break for freedom from the Washington Territory nearly started a war with Canada will be told Thursday, Feb. 6, at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
“Slavery in the Northwest: The Charles Mitchell Story” will be presented by actress Eva Abram, who specializes in sharing American history from an African-American perspective.
The 7 p.m. lecture is in the East Building Auditorium, 2710 Crimson Way, Richland. Admission is free and open to the public.
Abram will share one of the few documented cases of slavery in our state’s history. Charles Mitchell, who was born a slave, was brought to Washington Territory in 1853. Tensions were building statewide about a possible Civil War, influencing opinions about Mitchell’s status as a slave. The story explores how ideas molded by diverse socioeconomic experiences migrate geographically.
Seattle-based Abram has presented workshops for the Seattle Storytelling Guild and the Museum of Flight in Seattle, and, as an alumnus of Freehold Acting, has performed in several plays around the region. Abram earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington.
Thursday’s lecture is part of the 2013-2014 WSU Tri-Cities College of Arts and Sciences Season of Events. Co-sponsor Humanities Washington is a vital partner and a flagship non-profit that provides free educational and cultural programs based in the humanities. Humanities Washington is especially committed to serving the cities and rural communities on the eastern side of the state. For more information, visit www.humanities.org.
Learn about WSU Tri-Cities — the most diverse campus in the WSU system — at www.tricity.wsu.edu.
Contact:
Melissa O’Neil Perdue, WSU Tri-Cities, Marketing & Communications Manager, 509-372-7319, cell/text 509-727-3094, moneil@tricity.wsu.edu