Actor William Jackson Harper Talks "The Underground Railroad" and America's Dark History

When news first broke about Barry Jenkins' 10-part adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead, many rolled their eyes at yet another Black film that would have us walk away traumatized. Another film that shows the darkest moments of America's history.

The Black trauma topic, in the way we consume content, has most recently taken over Twitter with each new release. From the latest Amazon original series Them to the 2021 Oscar-winning short film Two Distant Strangers, Twitter critics have been relentless, crying for Hollywood to showcase more Black joy content. Now with the premiere of The Underground Railroad this Friday, those critics are fired up! What many may come to realize is that Jenkins' latest is a beautifully shot tale that takes us on a gut-wrenching journey that shows resilience and strength. Barry's art flourishes and he does not shy away from the uneasiness and horror of the history that America was built on.

The Underground Railroad is told in an alternate timeline within the reality of a network of abolitionists, hidden routes, and safe houses that help enslaved African-Americans escape to freedom in the early to mid-1800s. The series shows an actual railroad complete with engineers, conductors, tracks, and tunnels. Cora, an enslaved Black person in Georgia, joins newcomer Caesar in an effort to ride the subterranean train to freedom. Through their harrowing journey, Cora soon realizes what comes with living in America.

We caught up with actor William Jackson Harper, who plays Royal, in the series. We discussed his hope for the series, the backlash he knows will come, and why it was important for him to take on this role.

Check it out.