Representation of Blacks:The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman(1974)

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is a very well-made movie about Miss Jane Pittman who,in 1962 celebrates her 110th birthday in Ohio.A New York journalist arrives and asks the lady to give an interview to him about what was it like during the Civil War and all the wars up to the 1960s.The reason why I think this movies deserves praising is because of the way it gives back the general feelings and insecurities of each and every single phase of her life.She revisits and relives the Civil War,Spanish-American War and during the procedure we get to know a person who suffered and lost so much that the sorrow that surrounds her is unimaginable.Given the fact that she is an African-American makes the story more interesting from a racial point of view for she is able to recall events from her own perspectives and the way she lived through it.

Miss Jane on her 110th birthday

For us, the Civil War period of her life is the most relevant here.In her rememberance she starts out in 1862 when she lived in the South along with other slaves.There is a scene where both Southern and Union soldiers arrive at the same farmhouse in different times.In this way,we get to know the major characteristics of these soldiers whom,according to Jane,never believed that this war would last long at all.The Rebs are called off to figh a unit of Union soldiers not far away from the farm.Soon a large group of Yankees arrive and ask for some water and shelter -the same way the Southerners did.Here Jane describes them as being kind to her -she even made friends with one of the soldiers named Corporal Louis who believed that her present name was a slave one so therefore he urged her to choose a traditional Ohio one.She chose Jane.

Soon the master of the plantation comes and reads the Proclamation of 1862 which claimed that by the 1st January,1863 all slaves should be freed.With their newly acquired freedom,they set out to wander North where they could make the most of it.Jane herself wants to go to Ohio but stucks on a plantation for 12 years on the way.What is really important to mention here is her description of the devastation and destruction of the Southern countryside by the Yankees.We get to know this by a scene where she arrives at a house in which a woman lived with her dog.The woman lost all of her family in the war and as she approaches the house she starts yelling at Jane by claiming that "You're all the cause of the trouble we have around here" presumably referring to the African-Americans in general as well as the institution of slavery as the major cause of the conflict.

I think this movie is a really good and realistic representation of the Negro situation during the Civil war-and actually all the way up to the Civil Rights movement.Jane here is a tragic and well-respected hero in her own community not only because of her age but also becuase she suffered more than anyone would in two lifetimes.Her loss of husbands,children and friends made her a lone and ironic viewer of modern-day events.I recommend this film to everyone because I have to admit that this one beats all the other I have dealt with so far.

Final Scene:She drinks from a public well that was orginally assigned to Whites. It is the most important and symbolic event of the movie

From the Left: Interviewer, Jane and Daughter