Movie Review: Hope of Escape

Jeanette Sherbondy and Jane Jewell • March 19, 2024


Hope of Escape, based on a true story, is testimony to the hopes and struggles of an enslaved woman who, helped by her two freeborn sisters, embarks on her harrowing journey from slavery to freedom in the years before the American Civil War.

 

Over 175 years later, another set of sisters, descendants of one of the film’s three sisters, has brought the story of their heroic ancestors to the big screen.

 

The movie, by director and writer Amy Gerber, tells the life story of her great-great-great-grandmother, Diana Williams. It begins in 1845 on Rice Hope Plantation near Charleston, S.C., where Diana, still enslaved, has two daughters. Her impending sale means separation; escape is the only way to for them to stay together.

 

Diana and her daughters are promised freedom on the death of their enslaver, but everything changes after he dies unexpectedly. Though her new enslaver frees Diana (but not her daughters), he reminds her, “Don’t get caught!” as freedom for Black people was often not recognized or respected. Intense dialogue such as this reveals the characters’ thoughts and emotions.

 

The first minutes of the film are a succinct summary of what slavery meant for the enslaved. Diana sums it up: “I was never fully protected, nor my daughters.” Constant threats of sexual abuse from the enslaver are not explicit but clearly implied. They are chattel. They can be bought and sold.

 

It’s “always about saying goodbye,” Diana murmurs, referring to the sales, promised emancipation, and attempted escapes, all constants in enslaved peoples’ lives.

 

Diana hopes to find her sisters in the North: Anna in Nantucket in Massachusetts and Julia in New York.

 

Julia Williams was the first wife of Henry Highland Garnet, the well-known abolitionist and native of Chesterville in Kent County, Md., where he was born enslaved. He and his family escaped to New York City when Henry was a boy. (See Common Sense’s article on the women in Henry Highland Garnet’s life here and an article on Garnet’s call for resistance to slavery in 1843 here.)

 

The film shows how Julia and Henry meet when as abolitionists and pioneers in organizing formal education for Black people. They want all Black people to have the opportunity to learn to read and write. Julia says it is important to “Never give up!” The actors speak standard English rather than the dialect of field workers.

 

The film also follows the story of Diana’s daughter, Cornelia, and her sweetheart and future husband, William Benjamin Gould, known as Wilby.

 


In pursuing freedom, literacy was a practical and a symbolic tool. Wilby gives a writing set to Cornelia before she leaves on her dangerous journey North. “Words connected them and gave them their friendship and energy,” Diana says.

 

Education was illegal and risky for the enslaved. Wilby’s mother encourages him to share his gifts with others. He is a talented mason and decorative plasterer, expertise which makes him valuable as an enslaved person. Unlike most other enslaved Black people, Wilby has considerable freedom of movement because of his work. His skills are in demand, and he is often rented out by his enslavers.

 

The dignity and high values of Diana’s family are revealed in incidents during the escape. Despite being legally free, Diana and her daughter are caught and returned to slavery for several years before they finally reach freedom. Diana laments being “stripped of our dignity and beaten down by our sorrow.”

 

The film also shows how Diana and her daughter receive help from strangers as well as friends and families, both Black and White, often at high risk to those who helped hide or transport them. One must admire the gritty and often spontaneous aid Black people give to the escapees as well as the efforts of sympathetic White people who use their social networks to find the money for the enslaved to buy their freedom.

 

Gerber states in an interview that “it ‘took a village’ to fundraise and emancipate a slave. Hope of Escape shows how my own family depended on a complex network of abolitionists, both inside and outside the United States. We see how, even though separated for many years and by thousands of miles, families (both free and enslaved) managed to keep their connections, holding onto hope that their circumstances would change for the better.”

 

This is a film of brave people with hopes of escape. The dialogue has many gems that highlight the philosophy of Diana’s family. The photography is exquisite, and the music is a powerful expression of the enslaved about their condition and their hopes.

 

“Hope of Escape offers an alternative to the standard Hollywood ‘slavery film’ genre that usually depicts excessive violence and victimization. This film features enslaved persons with agency, who used their special skills and literacy to plan their emancipation. The film also shines light on the ‘above-ground Underground Railroad’ when slave masters were paid a ‘ransom’ (much like how Frederick Douglass gained freedom) by families in order to free their enslaved relatives.”

~Amy Gerber

 

Filmed in Virginia with local and regional talent, the movie runs an hour and a half.

 

Released in 2024, Hope of Escape has already won several awards, including Best Film at the African Diaspora Film Festival. It was also an award winner at the Broadcast Education Festival of Media Arts. Trailers for the movie are here.

 

Hope of Escape is available on Amazon Prime to rent or buy.

 

 

About the filmmakers:

Director and writer Amy Gerber is associate professor and chair of Film, Gender, and Women’s Studies at Hollins University. She has written and directed many independent films focusing on culture and history. Her films have won awards at numerous film festivals, including the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Mill Valley Film Festival, and Women in the Director’s Chair, Chicago.



Gerber’s sister, Heidi Gerber-Salins, collaborated with her sister in making the film. Gerber-Salins is assistant professor in the Media, Journalism, and Film Department of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard University.

 

 

Jeanette E. Sherbondy is a retired anthropology professor from Washington College and has lived here since 1986. In retirement she has been active with the Kent County Historical Society and Sumner Hall, one of the organizers of Legacy Day, and helped get highway /historical markers recognizing Henry Highland Garnet. She published an article on her ethnohistorical research of the free Black village, Morgnec.

 

Jane Jewell is a writer, editor, photographer, and teacher. She has worked in news, publishing, and as the director of a national writer's group. She lives in Chestertown with her husband Peter Heck, a ginger cat named Riley, and a lot of books.

 

Common Sense for the Eastern Shore

Health of His Constituents is Apparently Not a Priority for Rep. Dr. Andy Harris

By Jan Plotczyk • October 8, 2025
The Republican Congress and President Trump are causing a health care crisis and Democrats are trying to fix it. Passed in July, the GOP budget reconciliation bill is drastically cutting health insurance programs to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R-MD01) voted for the budget reconciliation bill. He voted, knowing that his vote would mean that health care costs would rise for 25,000 of his constituents in Maryland’s First Congressional District:

Judge Denies Trump Administration’s Attempt to Stall Maryland Offshore Wind Case Amid Federal Shutdown

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
 Efforts by the Trump administration to delay a critical court case over Maryland’s offshore wind project have failed, marking another setback in the president’s campaign to block renewable energy development along the East Coast. On Oct. 2, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Gallagher denied a motion filed by the Department of Justice to pause an ongoing lawsuit involving US Wind’s proposed 114-turbine wind farm off Ocean City. The administration had argued that the federal government’s shutdown prevents its attorneys from continuing the case. The judge’s swift rejection ensures that the litigation and progress on one of Maryland’s most significant clean energy projects will continue. Initially filed by Ocean City officials and a small group of residents nearly a year ago, the suit challenges the federal approval of US Wind’s project, which would deliver enough clean electricity to power more than 700,000 homes. Under the Biden administration, the federal government had defended the project in partnership with US Wind. That stance was reversed after Trump took office earlier this year and installed officials hostile to offshore wind. In September, the Trump administration filed a separate motion seeking to vacate federal approval for the Maryland project altogether, a move widely condemned by environmental advocates, labor groups, and business leaders who see offshore wind as a cornerstone of Maryland’s energy and economic future. US Wind responded forcefully to the shutdown motion, warning the court that the administration’s attempts to delay proceedings could allow it to undermine the project’s approval behind the scenes quietly. The company argued that halting the case would create “existential risks” for the future of Maryland’s offshore wind industry. Judge Gallagher agreed that the case should move forward, setting the next status hearing for Oct. 7. The Trump administration’s repeated efforts to obstruct offshore wind development come as Maryland and other states have invested heavily in building the infrastructure, workforce, and port facilities needed to anchor the growing clean energy industry. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has championed the sector as a key driver for well-paying jobs and long-term economic resilience for the Eastern Shore. Supporters of US Wind point out that the project will bring over $1 billion in investment to Maryland, generate thousands of construction and maintenance jobs, and help deliver cleaner, more affordable energy to homes and businesses across the region. “Offshore wind isn’t just about turbines, it’s about jobs, innovation, and independence,” one clean energy advocate said after the ruling. “Every delay costs working Marylanders opportunity, and this decision ensures progress continues.” While the broader lawsuit over the project’s approval is ongoing, the latest ruling represents a clear win for those fighting to keep Maryland’s offshore wind future on track — and a blow to Trump’s attempt to turn back the clock on clean energy.

Should We Pin Our Hopes on Mid-Cycle Redistricting in MD-01?

By Jan Plotczyk • October 8, 2025
Maryland has eight congressional districts, and the seats for all but District 01 are filled by Democrats. As we well know, the First District representative is a Republican — Andrew P. Harris. Here’s what Maryland’s congressional district map is now.

Megan Outten Kicks Off Wicomico County Council District 7 Campaign with Packed Crowd and Strong Early Momentum

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
With standing room only at Salisbury’s Historic Poplar Hill Mansion, and blending policy, community service, and grassroots energy, Megan Outten launched her campaign for Wicomico County Council District 7 before almost 100 supporters on Oct. 4. The event drew community residents, labor leaders, and local officials, many of whom also helped to pack nearly 300 care kits for Wicomico residents in need. The community service effort doubled as a campaign statement about what Outten calls “choosing connection over convenience.” District 7 is one of Wicomico’s newly drawn single-member districts, with a Democratic advantage of 7.7%. Outten recalled her family’s history of service in Fruitland and Salisbury. “Service isn’t just politics in my family,” she said. “It’s how you belong to a place. It’s how you prove you care.” She pointed to the county’s landfill crisis, water and septic system failures, and school underfunding as examples of leadership that reacts rather than plans. “This is what happens when leaders only react after things break,” she said. “It costs us more. It hurts families. It robs our kids of the future they deserve.” Outten was joined by several local leaders who offered strong endorsements and reflections on her record. AFSCME Local 3 Eastern Shore representative Jack Hughes praised her leadership on the Salisbury City Council, crediting her with helping pass the Eastern Shore’s first municipal labor code, a significant win for city workers and first responders. Councilman Josh Hastings, who represents the district and is running for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 38B, said Outten would be “crucial in carrying forward the progress we’ve made” on clean water, schools, and infrastructure planning. Whitney Snowden-Olanrewaju from Blending Cultures, a non-profit organization that promotes diversity and equality, spoke about Outten’s record of community inclusion and bridge-building across diverse groups. Outten’s campaign is expected to roll out additional endorsements in the coming weeks. In her speech, she outlined a platform focused on fully funding schools, investing in infrastructure before it fails, and ensuring that county government works for everyone. “This campaign is not mine,” she told the crowd. “It’s ours. I am not standing above you. I am standing with you. And together, we will put Wicomico families first.” With enthusiasm, endorsements, and her message that’s focused on service and accountability, Outten’s kickoff reinforced that District 7 is already shaping up to have a strong favorite in 2026.

Community Rallies After Theft of Car Containing Hundreds of Care Kits for Wicomico Residents in Need

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
An act of inhumanity in Salisbury has sparked an outpouring of compassion. Early on Oct. 5, community organizer Jared Schablein’s car was stolen from his backyard. Inside the vehicle were hundreds of care kits assembled just days earlier during Megan Outten’s Wicomico County Council District 7 campaign kickoff event. Packed by volunteers at Salisbury’s Poplar Hill Mansion, the kits contained feminine hygiene products, socks, and toiletries meant for Wicomico County residents facing housing insecurity. “Those kits were meant for neighbors in need,” said Schablein. “If nothing else, I hope whoever took them returns them. Getting those care kits to the folks who need them matters more to me than anything else.” Schablein and Outten have turned the theft into action, launching a new effort called the “Care Kits Comeback Drive.” The event, scheduled for Oct. 12 at 2pm at Poplar Hill Mansion, aims to replace every lost kit, and more. Volunteers are asked to bring or donate items such as sanitary wipes, socks, toothpaste, period products, and underwear. Donations will support the Wicomico County Library, Help and Outreach Point of Entry, and other local service organizations. In announcing the new drive, Schablein emphasized the deeper meaning behind the effort: “When acts of inhumanity happen, the best response is acts of humanity. We’re showing that Salisbury’s compassion can’t be stolen.” Despite the setback, organizers say community support has been overwhelming. Donations began arriving within hours of the announcement, and several local groups have offered to distribute supplies once the new kits are complete. The theft is still under investigation by the Salisbury Police Department. As one volunteer put it at the last event, “Community isn’t guaranteed, it’s built.” This Sunday, Salisbury will build it again.

Momentum Builds to Save Connelly Mill Park: Community Leaders and State Officials Unite Around Vision for Wicomico’s “Central Park”

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
What began as a grassroots campaign to preserve a parcel of local land has become one of the most inspiring community movements on the Eastern Shore. Led by residents James and Mikele Dahlen and Holly Campbell, alongside dozens of volunteers, the Save Connelly Mill Park effort reached a significant milestone last week as Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Josh Kurtz toured the site with local and state officials to explore opportunities for partnership and permanent protection. On Sept. 23, citizens gathered at Connelly Mill Park with a delegation of state and county leaders, including Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, Del. Barry Beauchamp, County Council President John Cannon, Vice President Jeff Merritt, Councilman James Winn, and local municipal representatives from Delmar and Salisbury. The tour marked the strongest signal to date that the state may play an active role in turning the park’s long-promised vision into reality. Advocates for Save Connelly Mill Park presented Kurtz with a booklet outlining the site’s environmental, historical, and economic importance. The presentation highlighted Connelly Mill’s potential to become a keystone of Wicomico’s park system — protecting the Paleochannel aquifer, preserving wildlife habitats, and providing much-needed green space for recreation and community gathering. Located just five miles from Salisbury, the 234-acre property has rolling forest, wetlands, and unique topography that advocates say could one day make it the “Central Park of Wicomico County.” “The natural beauty of Connelly Mill spoke for itself,” said one organizer after the event. “What we have here is not just land, it’s a promise to future generations.” Adding to the momentum, the community’s advocacy materials were presented directly to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore the next day at the Tawes Crab and Clam Bake in Crisfield, where he was briefed on the citizens’ efforts and growing local support. The proposed park would provide walking trails, open space for families, and educational opportunities while safeguarding vital water resources and promoting mental, physical, and social well-being for county residents. For many, the movement to save Connelly Mill has come to represent more than just one park. It’s about accountability, long-term planning, and ensuring public commitments to community spaces are kept. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” the group shared in a recent update. “But the spotlight is on Connelly Mill, and the momentum is growing.” As the state evaluates whether to designate Connelly Mill as a Partnership Park, supporters say they will continue to meet with officials and rally community engagement to ensure this once-forgotten project finally fulfills its promise. If realized, Connelly Mill would not only protect vital natural resources — it would stand as testament to what determined citizens can build when they refuse to give up.
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