[birds singing]
[chuckles softly]
♪ ♪
- [indistinct chatter] - [laughter]
[Molly] "When, in the course of human events,
it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bonds which have connected them with another
and to assume among the powers of the earth
the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature
and of Nature's God entitle them.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights,
Governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
- [laughter] - That whenever any Form of Government
becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it
and to institute new Government,
laying its foundation on such principles
and organizing its power in such form
as to them shall seem most likely
to effect their Safety and Happiness.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design
to reduce them under absolute Despotism,
it is their right,
it is their duty, to throw off such Government,
and to provide new Guards for their future security."
Thank you.
I am overwhelmed.
Uh...
I'd like to thank Molly for that heartfelt recital.
[man] Thank you, Molly.
[John] Out of the mouths of babes.
Brothers and sisters, I...
I do believe we are looking at the future.
Thank you, young lady.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
- Miss Cora. - Georgina.
You sure taught these pickaninnies
how to give a proper talk.
There are no pickaninnies here, Cora, just children.
Oh, I'm sorry, I-I didn't...
It-it's all right, Cora.
See, oftentimes when folks' minds finally get freed,
they have to unlearn as much as they learn, you understand?
I do, yeah.
Mmm!
My, my, my, that barbecue is making my whole mouth water.
Ooh.
But can I ask you something about the children?
Of course, Cora.
They speak so well, but...
...do they know what's in those big words?
No.
What they don't understand today, they may tomorrow.
Take the Declaration of Independence
that little Molly was reciting.
It's like a map.
You trust that it's right, but you only know
when you go and test for yourself.
You really believe that?
Of course not, Cora.
I'm a colored woman living in America.
But...
everybody's got to go out and test it for they selves.
Understand?
[dog barks in distance]
- [indistinct chatter] - [horse neighs]
Now, let's go see about that barbecue.
♪ ♪
Mmm!
[lively chatter]
[laughter]
[glass clinking]
[Gloria] How's everybody doing?
- [others] Good. - [Gloria] Good, good, good.
Certainly hope y'all had a pleasant day.
Normally, my husband would speechify here,
but he is feeling too grand for words this afternoon.
[scattered laughter]
Y'all just have to make due with me.
And I'll certainly do the best that I can.
So...
I was down at the cellar all day,
and then I come up to see what a gift God gave us.
This beautiful sky. [chuckles]
Them hogs.
And this glorious plot of land.
I would like to take a moment to thank and praise my husband
for negotiating the deed on this here land.
Lord knows when we first showed up they had no idea
of the colored love and joy coursing through his veins.
[chuckles]
And so when I'm out in these fields,
when I hear the little ones over by the pond
just flapping and a-flailing without a care in the world,
when I...
...when I find new voices here among us,
traveled from faraway places but holding the same power,
same strength of our people within their bones,
well...
it reminds me to have a little peace of mind.
That no matter what we decide going forward, this farm...
...this community is in good standing.
[scattered cheers]
Now, I-I promise
we'll stop all this yapping
and get to these fine eatings in short order.
Sure smells good, don't it?
- [laughs] - [woman] Yes!
But, first, please, let us...
raise and join hands.
[quiet chatter]
Be present at our table, Lord.
[all] Be present at our table, Lord.
Be here and everywhere adored.
[all] Be here and everywhere adored.
These mercies bless and grant that we...
[all] These mercies bless and grant that we...
May feast in fellowship with Thee.
[all] May feast in fellowship with Thee.
- Amen. - [all] Amen.
- [quiet chatter] - [laughter]
[indistinct chatter]
[Mingo] No doubt, you have a heart of gold, brother.
But I fear you've brought too much trouble
down on our home this time.
Is that right?
My dear wife heard your latest stray is a wanted woman.
Ah. [laughs]
Well, most folks round here wanted for one thing or another.
Not me, brother.
Not me.
Be that as it may...
...Cora belongs here.
Same as any of us.
And it's for her to tell her story
of whatever she's running from, or whatever she's running to,
whenever she chooses.
Please don't use her to push your grievances
- against the Railroad. - I'm not against the Railroad.
I am not against the Railroad.
Now, I bear no ill will toward that poor girl,
but you are naive to think white folk are gonna let us
keep a place like this if we continue to taunt them
- with our arrogance. - Arrogance?
Since when is living and breathing
and tilling the land, what is rightfully yours, arrogance?
I do...
...appreciate your thoughts, Brother Mingo.
And I will be sure to bear them in mind as I...
tend to my affairs.
[glass clinking]
[John] While you all digest this fine meal,
we have a honored guest on the farm among us today.
Now, some of you who've been with us a while
will certainly recognize his handsome face.
I know of a few who find it pleasing to the eye, mm-hmm.
A most distinguished young man of the arts,
here to read from his upcoming collection of poems,
our brother,
Rumsey Brooks.
[scattered cheers]
May I ask, is the spirit of our people
here with us on Valentine Farm today?
[murmuring]
'Ere I saw a dappled wonder
Settling 'cross the fields
Hovering on angel wings
Brandishing a blazing shield
Of tears and blood and flesh and bone and skin
Of all the voices...
...come and gone
The beauteous souls of kin
From the heavens returned an angel fallen
A soldier of legacy's deeding
To stoke that Apollonian ember...
...in all mortal beings
[applause]
[John] Brother Rumsey.
[others] Brother Rumsey.
Moment that poem started...
...I knew you'd be running off.
[Cora] Hasn't been but a month,
and you already know my ways and means, Mr. Royal?
No, ma'am.
Just...
...observing.
- [laughter in distance] - [indistinct chatter]
[dog barking]
Oh, you better pray Red don't catch you.
- [dog barks] - There you go.
You real pretty like that.
When you smile, you know?
I mean, you pretty anyway,
but boy, when you smile like that...
What'd old Rumsey say?
"To stoke the Apollonian ember
that burns in all mortal beings."
- You hush, now. - I'll do no such a thing.
♪ ♪
[rhythmic clapping]
[laughter]
[woman] Watch my feet.
[lively chatter]
[woman] What you gonna tell me?
[lively chatter continues]
♪ ♪
You speak some mighty fine words, Mr. Brooks.
If I gave you my sorrows,
would you make them sound pretty?
[chuckles]
I certainly would try, yes.
Yeah.
I bet you would.
Okay.
Okay, then.
- Okay, what? - [chuckles]
Please...
...give me your sorrows.
♪ ♪
Royal, feel like there's something burning underfoot.
Valentine's toying with...
pulling up stakes and moving everyone out West.
There's been talk that we should...
- [clapping in distance] - get farther away from white folks,
put some distance between us and the slave states.
Makes sense to me.
Mingo disagrees. Mingo...
has different plans for Valentine.
He wants to cut a group of white businessmen
from the town in on our wine, but...
...we'd have to offer them some concessions.
What's that?
There's been a couple dustups
about runaways showing up in they town.
Mingo claims they need reassurances
there won't be no more trouble of the like.
That's why he look at me like a maggot on meat.
And he don't even know the whole truth.
Mingo don't speak for everybody.
So, when they gonna decide?
Not sure, but...
soon.
Does everybody get a vote?
Yes, ma'am.
Even you.
Why you looking at me like that?
- Like what? - You gaze upon me most strangely, Miss Cora.
You real pretty like that, you know, when you smile.
[laughing] Oh...
I mean, you pretty anyway,
but boy, when you smile like that...
[laughing] Oh...
- Miss Cora. - Hmm?
- You liable to make a man think you liking him. - [chuckles]
♪ ♪
[horse snorts]
[Samson speaking indistinctly]
[Samson] Know what that means?
[Sybil] No, but I'm sure you gonna tell me.
[Samson] Mm-hmm.
Howdy, Miss Sybil.
Mm. Samson.
Royal.
- Hey, now. [chuckles] - [Samson laughs]
Well, I best be getting on.
I don't want to keep you ladies.
It was a pleasure talking with you, Miss Cora.
All mine, Royal. All mine.
[laughing]
[rooster crowing]
♪ ♪
[bottles rattling]
♪ ♪
- [door opens] - [door closes]
Well, hello there, Mr. Valentine.
Judge.
[quiet chatter]
Didn't think they'd get you from under them cows.
You hush, now.
[dog barking]
♪ ♪
[gasps]
[panting]
[dogs barking]
- [Cora yells] - [whip cracks]
Cora.
- [panting] - Cora, they not looking for you.
Cora, please, I swear they're not looking for you.
- She pointed at me. - She pointed at us.
She pointed at the vines.
Only folks what stoke suspicion here
is the folks what's hiding.
Now, in Indiana, we got rules, we got law and order,
and can't no slave catcher set foot on a person's property
without the local judge giving a warrant.
And that judge...
...he like his drink.
So we make sure that that man don't have to look for,
nor worry about nary one drop
of that pretty red Valentine wine for more time than it takes
to reach for the bottle, and in return--
before any slave catcher sets foot on this here property--
we make sure whoever they is looking for is long gone.
[grunting quietly]
You're safe here, Cora.
Cora, you're safe.
[indistinct chatter]
[horses neighing in distance]
- [knocking] - [door opens]
[Royal] Mind if I join you?
[door closes]
[chair creaks]
May I?
You done all this?
You came all this way on the Railroad?
Yeah.
And left behind all those peoples.
Cora.
I-I know tomorrow is a day for working, but, um...
...considering the day you had...
I was thinking maybe we could do something different.
Just you and me.
Now, there's a lot around here what I know you ain't seen.
Would love to...
...take you around for a bit.
Clear your head.
Yeah.
All right, then.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
[door closes]
- [leaves rustling] - [horse snorts]
♪ ♪
[insects trilling]
[horse nickers]
[Royal] Don't worry.
Ain't planning on shooting nobody no time soon.
[Cora] Just...
...don't think I ever seen so many Black folk
with guns before.
Not until I got here.
[Royal] Well, it's in the Constitution.
Got it right up there in the library.
Here.
[horse snorts]
Take a hold of it.
♪ ♪
[horses neigh]
Now...
See here, you the master over it.
Not the other way around.
You make it do as you do.
It's hard.
Eh, just takes some getting used to.
Now, see, the trick is...
...to think of something what you trying to hit.
Or someone, if need be.
[birds singing]
Mm-hmm.
What's their name?
[shaky breaths]
[birds cawing]
[Royal] There's a sadness in you.
[horse snorts]
I wish I knew the root of it.
Wish I could help you with it.
You born free, ain't you?
When you a runaway...
...lot of things get left behind.
Hard not to think about 'em.
It's like a piece of you what's missing.
It's heavy.
Like dead weight.
That may be true...
But, Cora, you carry more of the past with you
than anybody I ever seen.
The weight you talk of...
I don't know how anybody could ever just...
...be carrying that kind of weight on they spirit.
I want to show you something.
- [leaves rustling] - [birds singing]
[echoing birdcalls]
[wind whistling]
[birdcalls continue]
♪ ♪
[soft thud]
Make manure smell sweet.
You work on a farm long enough, manure do smell sweet.
[hollow thuds]
What you digging at?
Just you wait.
- [shoveling stops] - [loud clatter]
[loud crash]
[door creaks]
[loud thud]
[Royal dusts off hands]
[wind whistling]
[metal clinking]
[metal lid clinks]
♪ ♪
[echoes] Yeah.
Ain't nothing in this world Black folk can't do.
[flame whooshes]
[torch thuds]
Would you like to see, Miss Cora?
♪ ♪
You all right, Miss Cora?
Yeah.
Don't look down too much, you'll catch yourself a fright.
♪ ♪
[Royal] Ain't made for a locomotive.
[Royal sighs]
[grunts]
A little ways in, the tunnel gets too small, see?
It don't connect with the rest of the line.
- So, where does it go, then? - [metallic click]
It's from before my time.
The conductor I replaced showed it to me.
Here.
I took the handcar a few miles in.
It was too much.
How the walls hugged me like a drunk grandma.
Call this here the "ghost tunnel."
As far as I can tell, it ain't never been used.
That house up there used to belong to a general
in the Revolutionary War.
I still don't believe anybody could ever
have been living up there.
It's all old nails and weeds,
like the earth is reaching up, trying to swallow it.
Maybe it don't start beneath the house.
But somewhere...
...in this black hole.
Maybe this ain't the start of things...
...but the end.
Make you wonder if there ain't no real places to escape to.
Only places to run from.
Why did you bring me here?
I wanted to show you this because...
...you've seen more of the Railroad than most.
I wanted you to see how it fits together.
Or it doesn't.
I'm just a passenger like anybody else.
Yes, ma'am, but don't you understand
the Underground Railroad is bigger than its conductors?
It's all y'all, too.
Small spurs, the big trunk lines.
The newest locomotives, the obsolete engines,
and even the... loneliest little handcars.
But...
...can't none of us figure it out.
Maybe you can.
Me?
I don't know why it's here or-or what it means, Royal.
All I know is I'm tired of running.
Then don't.
Cora?
Cora.
- Cora. - Don't you touch me!
[gasping softly]
♪ ♪
[birds singing]
[howling in distance]
[plants rustling]
[Royal] There's a sadness in you.
And I wish I knew the root of it.
Wish I could help you with it.
♪ ♪
- [gunshot] - [thunderous bang]
[sheep bleats]
- [indistinct chatter] - [laughter in distance]
- [indistinct shouting] - [dog barking]
[Cora grunts]
Hey, Cora.
Hey.
- [children laughing] - [indistinct chatter]
How you been keeping?
Keeping.
Cora, are you all right?
You asked me that 20 times since last Sunday.
Told you already.
I-I did.
You did. [chuckles]
What you want, Royal?
I wants to apologize, I...
I-I wants to apologize for what...
Already did that.
Already did that, Royal.
You leave me be, now.
There's a mission down south.
Red and Samson, leaving in a few days,
say they need a third.
It'd be dangerous. I'd be gone a good while.
I can tell them to find somebody else.
- Cora, I'm asking you... - You asking me what?
Royal, what happen between the two of us
ain't got nothing to do with you.
You do what you want.
No need to worry about me.
♪ ♪
- [crickets chirping] - [logs crackling in fire]
- [footsteps approaching] - [door opens]
What a long day it's been.
Pardon me.
My head's filling up with thunder.
[door closes]
♪ ♪
- [wheels screeching] - [train clanging]
[man] This way.
[train whistling]
[indistinct chatter]
- [clinking] - [wheels screeching]
[train whistles]
♪ ♪
- [bell chiming] - [train car rumbling]
[train chugging]
[train whistles]
[indistinct chatter]
[distorted, indistinct chatter]
You want to go down to platform four.
I'll take you there.
[chalk squeaking]
[steam hisses]
- [bell chimes] - [indistinct shouting]
[distorted chatter continues]
[elevator whirring]
[quiet chatter]
[distorted chatter]
♪ ♪
[man] Right here in this box.
[woman] Hey, I haven't done it, and I'm a little nervous.
- [distorted shouts] - [whip cracking]
[distorted yelling]
- [indistinct chatter] - [distorted crying]
- [dog barking] - [distorted chatter]
[distorted chatter continues]
[echoing baby crying]
- [station clerk] Next. - [bell dings]
[baby crying]
- Next. - [bell dings]
[baby crying]
Next.
Where you coming from?
- Indiana. - Name?
Randall.
Cora Randall.
Free or runaway?
I'm not sure.
Where have you given testimony?
I've told my story in... in Georgia,
South Carolina, North Carolina
and Tennessee.
That's a long ride.
So they say.
What about Indiana?
Excuse me?
You told your story everywhere else.
What about Indiana?
Oh, I told it. Yeah.
But did you tell it?
Did you really tell your truth?
[sighs]
[echoing laughter]
[distorted screaming]
[screaming stops]
Mm.
- [distorted chatter] - [laughter]
Hmm.
I'm not finding a Cora Randall in here.
- Well, that can't be. - But it is.
Now, in order for us to move you forward...
...we are required to confirm your testimony.
But I can't just stay here.
I don't know anybody.
Neither did our mammies or pappies
when they brought us here, but look around.
Look at all we've done.
Won't take long to go through the Indiana manifests.
And if what you state is in there,
we'll move you forward.
All right.
What I'm supposed to do in the meantime?
Make some new friends.
Next.
[bell ringing]
Thank you.
This is heaven.
Leave it to a bunch of Africans to build a place underground
where you can drink the world's best coffee.
[chuckles softly]
You all right?
It's a lot, I know.
Are we above the ground or below?
Depends on where you're coming from.
[door swings open]
[door closes]
[distorted chatter]
[door swings open]
Is the rest of the world still out there?
Of course.
Where you think we are, the moon?
Well, then, can I go outside while I wait?
No.
I don't think you're quite ready for that.
[door swings open]
[door closes]
[dishes clinking]
[exhales]
[baby fussing]
[baby crying]
[crying continues]
- [crying stops] - [door creaks]
[crickets chirping]
[bird caws]
[woman, echoing] Cora!
[distorted chatter]
[soft creaking]
[door knob rattling]
[woman] I'm right here, Cora.
It's Lovey.
♪ ♪
[distorted busy chatter]
[bell chiming]
[train whistles]
[train chugging]
[distorted chatter continues]
[man] You are standing on a train platform.
A fear of missing the train, a slavery to time.
There is so much you have never said
to your companion and so little time to articulate.
The years have accreted around the simple words,
and there would have been ample time to speak them
had not the years intervened and secreted them.
The conductor paces up and down the platform
and wonders why you do not speak.
You are a blight on his platform and timetable.
Speak, find the words.
The train is warming towards departure.
You cannot find the words, the words will not allow you
to find them in time for the departure.
Nothing is allowed to pass between you and your companion.
It is late.
A seat awaits.
That the words are simple and true
is only half the battle.
The train is leaving.
The train is always leaving,
and you have not found your words.
[gasping]
♪ ♪
[breathing heavily]
May I have this dance?
You may.
♪ ♪
- You looking... - [gasping]
mighty fine tonight,
Miss Cora Randall.
As do you...
Caesar Gardner.
Is that so?
[chuckles] Yes.
Fine things suit you.
And you, Mr. Gardner.
And you.
How long this gonna last?
Long as you need.
[sobbing softly]
♪ ♪
[gasps softly]
♪ ♪
[metal clinking]
♪ ♪
[blacksmith] Royal gone.
- Excuse me? - He done up and gone.
Left late last night with two mens.
Packed up really good, too.
Look like official business.
When he coming back?
How should I know?
I look like his mammy?
♪ ♪
[metal clinking]
[rain falling]
[metal scraping]
[phone line ringing]
[♪ Groove Theory: "Hey U"]
♪ Hey, you ♪
♪ I hope you know what I've been going through, baby ♪
♪ I wonder if you're going through it, too ♪
♪ But I'm afraid to face what might be true ♪
♪ Hey, you ♪
♪ I remember ♪
♪ The day it hit me ♪
♪ That I really loved your way ♪
♪ I thought for sure I'd be here to stay, baby ♪
♪ To my surprise, I'd soon be running away ♪
♪ Running away ♪
♪ If I ever see you walking ♪
♪ I won't know what to say ♪
♪ Or do ♪
- ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ - ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ So what's the use in talking? ♪♪
♪ ♪
[music ends]