History will come alive as the New Scotland Historical Society presents Clifford Oliver Mealy’s portrayal of the musician and kidnapped Saratoga resident, Solomon Northup.
The Life and Times of Solomon Northup program will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will be held the Wyman Osterhout Community Center in New Salem.
Mealy will give a brief history of slavery and how slavery “came to haunt the world.” He will also discuss the life of Solomon Northup, a free black man in the 1840s who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the south. His life inspired the movie “Twelve Years a Slave,” based on his autobiography.
“This program was selected because of the interest following the movie,” said New Scotland Historical Association President Alan Kowlowitz. “This event has both a local hook because Mr. Northup lived in the Capital District, and a larger tie-in to American history and the Civil War period.”
Mealy lives in Greenwich, and was educated at Dutchess Community College with a degree in communications and media. He is a retired photographer from the New York State Bureau of Historic Sites.
“We think having someone do a re-enactment might be a bit more visceral, that someone may prefer over listening to talking heads,” said Kowlowitz. “For some, a lecture can be seen as dry, and this event will be more enjoyable for children.”
The historical association hosts a series of events from October to May. For more information, call 765-4212. The museum is open at 7 p.m. and features an exhibit on Thacher Parks 100th anniversary.