Exploring black history through film
Ayanna Parker and Kesi Parker, The Peak

Go Do Some Great Thing, a production by Anthony Brown, is a must-see film. As a historical documentary that focuses on black pioneers in British Columbia, the film drives home the trials and tribulations of the first black settlers in Victoria and Salt Spring Island. As producer, writer, and director of the film, Brown created the documentary, in part, to put meaning and history back into the black community in B.C. Brown sees the film as an important stepping stone in revealing the unknown knowledge of what it means to be black in B.C. In explaining the rationale behind the making of such a film, Brown confides that, "Reflecting upon the condition of our society today and having learned of the role that the black pioneers played in the founding of this country, one cannot help but imagine what could have been if, beginning 146 years ago as the first Black Americans stepped ashore in Victoria, we had begun to celebrate their achievements and record their contributions as brothers and sisters."

The title, Go Do Some Great Thing, was taken from the book Shadow and Light by Mifflin Gibbs. The book deals with the issue of over two centuries of racial persecution in countries such as Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. The book's major goal, according to Brown, was "to define people, not in terms of black and white, but rather as a wonderful interplay of shadow and light. As with any good tale, [the book] endeavours to reveal what underlies the larger picture - the passions and struggles of everyday people."

In 1858, the first Black Americans came to Victoria's shores to begin a journey that they saw as evolutionary. Having experienced overt racism in the United States, blacks decided to accept the invitation, given by James Douglas (known as the father of B.C. and a fellow pioneer that was the son of a black mother and a white father), to settle in B.C. "[They] came with the intention to integrate, not segregate," Brown relates. "They did not want to live in a black neighbourhood, nor did they want black schools or black churches."

It was interesting to note the diversity of the people present at the premiere of the film in Port Moody. The majority of audience members showed genuine interest in B.C. history. While mingling and sharing their own "white and black" experiences in B.C., the greater portion of the audience met with a sense of curiosity. "What could we possibly not already know?" asked an observer who seemed ready to take in this "hidden side" of our history. As people seemed generally anxious and excited to view the film, Brown was spotted mingling with the guests, open to questions and interpretations of the physical display the pioneers depicted in the film.

The excitement that filled the room just before the showing was captivating. Brown took to the stage and presented his film in a way that only the creator of something personal and dear to one's self can. He told of the story of the inspiration for his film, of having travelled up to Salt Spring Island some six to eight years ago only to find a story that he never knew existed - a story that would profoundly change his life, outlook, and understanding of the culture of a people that was only too familiar.

As the film began, the intensity with which people seemed to be taking in the new-found knowledge became apparent. For 45 minutes, black B.C. history came alive, and with it came a certain strength that we cannot fully explain. Also, there came a recognition that this great land embodies a past bound directly to that of black peoples, a past that has been left out of our history books for generations, for whatever reason. That feeling of enlightenment was felt by many as the film ended. The audience seemed mesmerised by the showing. A loud applause rang out and was followed by interpretations of and acclamations for the film and its creator - and justly so. The film, admittedly, far surpassed our expectations, and it proved to be a touchstone for present and future generations of blacks anywhere.

Brown states, "The words of the title are, in the end, a reminder to everyone to do what Governor Douglas, Sylvia Stark, and Mifflin Gibbs have done, to Go Do Some Great Thing - to look beyond borders, to challenge the ever-threatening bonds of racism, and to look to the adventures that lie beyond the quest for freedom."

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