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'God don't mean people to own people': Upcoming Harriet Tubman biopic highlights faith of abolitionist

New Harriet Tubman Biopic, July 23, 2019.
New Harriet Tubman Biopic, July 23, 2019. | Grace Hill Media

A biopic on the historical mission of Harriet Tubman will hit theaters this fall, giving viewers a glimpse into the faith-led mission of the iconic abolitionist.

"Harriet" will take viewers on a ride through history showcasing how Tubman legendarily led slaves to freedom in America via the Underground Railroad in the mid-1800s.

Playing the lead is actress Cynthia Erivo, who powerfully showcases the bravery of Tubman and her journey north to find freedom. She would ultimately return to the South to help free her friends and family who were still enslaved.

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"God don't mean people to own people," Tubman is heard saying in the trailer. "I will give every last drop of blood in my veins until this monster called slavery is dead."

According to a statement shared with The Christain Post, the anticipated film will illustrate how Tubman made it to safety multiple times by direction from the Holy Spirit in visions and dreams given to her from God. 

“As the ‘Moses’ of her time and first woman to lead an armed expedition in war, ‘Harriet’ proves to be the perfect example of a fearless, faithful leader that all people of faith can relate to and admire." 

“Harriet” also features singer and actress Janelle Monáe, playing the role of one of Tubman's mentors. Leslie Odom Jr., Jennifer Nettles and Joe Alwyn are also part of the cast.

Directed by Kasi Lemmons (“Luke Cage”) and written by Gregory Allen Howard (“Remember the Titans,” “Ali”), the Focus Features film is scheduled for a Nov. 1 release and will reportedly document how she singlehandedly rescued more than 70 slaves on 19 expeditions.

Watch the movie trailer below:

As previously reported on CP,  Mark D. Tooley wrote in an op-ed piece that Tubman's faith background was Methodist because her white owner in eastern Maryland had a Methodist minister son whose services Tubman's family attended. 

Although some Methodists in that area had freed their slaves, Tubman had a different fate. 

“Tubman possibly additionally attended local congregations and camp meetings of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, some of whose revivalistic exhorters were women, who with their male colleagues sometimes skirted or defied the law by hosting gatherings for slaves,” Tooley explained.

“Famously, Tubman's intense spirituality also was shaped by an early head injury from an overseer, which contributed to a lifetime of visions, out of body experiences and dramatic prophecies. Her certainty about hearing God's voice fueled her tremendous courage, leading to her escape with help from Quakers, and thereafter to many years as a leader in the Underground Railroad.”

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