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Some tourists say the slavery re-enactment is so realistic, they feel compelled to react
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'Enslaving Virginia' draws strong reaction from visitors. Reporter Kathleen Koch has the story. (July 11)
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July 11, 1999
Web posted at: 10:30 p.m. EDT (0230 GMT)

From Reporter Kathleen Koch

WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- This summer, visitors to America's favorite Revolutionary War-era tourist spot, Colonial Williamsburg, are seeing a disturbingly realistic portrayal of a slice of history once overlooked.

Slavery.

The cozy Colonial community of patriots and artisans is giving way to a gripping story much meaner and messier than many tourists had imagined. The re-enactment is so realistic that some tourists have attacked actors -- and others have thought about it.

"Part of me wanted to jump on them," says tourist Courtland Holt. "And a part of me wanted to listen to them and understand where they're coming from."

"It's not just a history lesson," says Harvey Bakari, Williamsburg's African-American program development manager. "It's a part of us in the past, it's a part of us today, and it's a part of the foundation of the relationships between blacks and whites in this country."

The re-enacted drama centers on an offer by the British governor in 1775 to free any slaves who would fight the rebellious American colonialists. Audiences see a slave husband torn between his freedom and his family, and they join an outlawed slave meeting.

The actors and others who put the drama together believe the intense scenes can move audiences to see this painful subject in a new way.

"Every time I go out there, I realize it's a challenge. But I realize I can be that voice," says Hope Smith, an actress in the production.

During the Revolutionary era, slaves and freed blacks made up more than half of Williamsburg's population. Now, their long silent voices are being heard, enriching and completing the history of the colony.

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