Raw 8mm and digital composite footage for REC Remix. Original Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EHIU-9TQWk For my Masters Project I undertook the study of African American History, As part of my exploratory analysis of African American History I noticed that during the Centennial Celebrations for the Statue of Liberty, the overwhelming majority of the literature associated with the monument omit any notion of the abolitionist movements involvement in its formation, despite the fact that in New York City Labolaye was aided with the design by the Anti-Slavery Union League. Additionally during the statue's inauguration the abolitionist societies praised the newly unveiled "goddess of liberty" as a "tribute to the Union Victory and abolition of Slavery" as did Albert W. Lefaivre, a guest speaker who noted it "ended the emancipation of 5 million brethren." There may not be categorical evidence to state whether or not the Statue of Liberty was to have been an African American female but it was certainly meant to represent an end to slavery and the original model did possess the facial features of an African woman and in broken shackles. As the United States only accepted the gift, after Bartholdi removed the chains from her arm (replacing it with a tablet inscribed with the date of the United States Declaration of Independence) and made her facial features and overall design more European it is highly suggestive that the rumour she was originally meant to portray a freed African American is true. The concept of the film was to give Liberty a voice, as for nearly 125 years she has been silenced. I chose Billie Holiday's Strange Fruits for the potent lyrical content, which hauntingly vocalized the horrific acts of racial violence and prejudice towards African Americans. Billy Holidays rendition of the song was selected as her voice conveys the emotion not only of the lyrics but also of the inequality she was suffering at the time, ironically some 60 years after Liberty was created to represent African American equality. Alex Bland : www.alexbbland.com alex@alexbland.com twitter.com/l #Blackliberty