The Henry Madden Library at Fresno State and the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno will host a screening of the award-winning documentary “Prince Among Slaves,” 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 in the Madden Library Auditorium, room 2206. Michael Wolfe, an executive producer of the film, will attend the screening and take questions from the audience.

This free event is part of the Madden Library’s “Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys project. The screening is open to the public but seating is limited. A reception with refreshments will begin at 5:00 p.m. and the one-hour screening will start at 5:30 p.m.

“Prince Among Slaves” explores the life of Abdul Rahman, a West African prince from the Kingdom of Fouta Jallon who was taken from his country in 1788 and enslaved in Natchez, Mississippi. After forty years of servitude, he won his freedom after seeking help from Henry Clay’s State Department and President John Adams.

The “Prince” and his wife subsequently traveled throughout the northern United States, speaking to large audiences in an attempt to raise money to buy the freedom of his nine children.  His story made him one of America’s best-known freed slaves, attracting the attention of many early abolitionist leaders. At age 67, after raising money to buy the freedom of two of his nine children, he returned to Africa.

Special guest Michael Wolfe is a noted poet, author, and filmmaker. In addition to “Prince Among Slaves,” he co-produced nine nationally broadcast documentaries on Muslim themes. In 1997, he was the first American TV journalist to report live from Mecca during the Hajj. His reporting for ABC Nightline and CNN earned him nominations for the Peabody, Emmy, George Polk, and National Press Club Awards.

“Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys” is a special project funded by the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities. It was created to help Americans become more familiar with the people, places, history, faith, and cultures of Muslims worldwide.

Contact Allison Cowgill to RSVP by September 11th at acowgill@csufresno.edu or 559.278.1022.

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