Rapper Lupe Fiasco and actor Michael Ealy (Barbershop) may have attracted students with their celebrity to come to Leverone Auditorium Wednesday night. The two were part of an event promoting the upcoming History Channel documentary The People Speak.
But when it came to the material they were discussing, the performers tried to let the words speak for themselves.
Reading a letter to Sarah Logue and a statement from Muhammad Ali about the Vietnam War to kick off the event, Ealy said, “I try to get out of the way of the words. I’ll perform a bit, but the words are key.”
Hosted by Nancy MacLean, professor of History and African American Studies at Northwestern, the event featured live readings, excerpts of the film and in-depth discussion between the panel and the audience. The film was produced by a team including Matt Damon and Howard Zinn; it is based on Zinn’s books that reveal history from the perspective of American people. The panel, featuring Ealy, Fiasco and the film’s co-executive producer and co-director Anthony Arnove, discussed the influence of grassroots history and the power of raw voices to expose common humanity.
The film excerpts gave the audience an idea of what to expect from the documentary.
“The film is driven by remarkable performers, artists and musicians giving voice to these stories,” Arnove said.
The evening concluded with a moderated discussion centered on the event’s tagline, “Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Ealy and Fiasco shared their reasons for getting involved with the documentary and what they have taken away from it — and what they hope college students will, too.
Ealy said the film’s idea of using contemporary voices to read history gave him a new way to connect with the past.
“There’s a certain version of history we’re taught, but another version we can learn,” he said. “Hearing the actual words makes you want to learn more. I feel like I can relate [better].”
Fiasco said the project rejuvenated his capacity to feel the “American spirit.” He classified both his parents as very radical, remarking that he was raised with a certain distance from the title of being “American.”
“[Being American] represented all the ills — imperialism, capitalism and overconsumption,” he said. “The film shows another side of what [that] means. After watching it, I came out feeling proud to be an American. We are a nation of struggles.”
Fiasco said he was able to identify most with the story of a homosexual. “After stripping away all the lifestyle choices, we’re left with humanity — a common factor,” he said. “To see that and how it resonates with you is really going to shock you.”
The decision to bring the film to colleges campuses first was consistent with the film’s philosophy that change is most possible in close and diverse communities, like those at colleges.
“It only takes two people to start a movement,” Ealy said. “If we can access you guys, you can spread the word like nobody’s business.”
Students said they learned from the event, whether or not they had a prior interest in history.
“I love the History Channel, so I knew it was going to be something educational and inspiring, but I didn’t know what,” said Weinberg freshman Monique Brown.
“I came for Lupe,” said Weinberg freshman Harsh Shah. “But the thing is, because of him, we paid attention the entire time.”
“His answers weren’t the bullshit scripted answers you expect celebs to have,” Shah said. “It’s not like he was just there for the name — he knew what he was talking about. And that’s why I loved it.”
Fiasco hoped The People Speak would be a catalyst for students to draw inspiration from history itself.
“You go out there, and you do something,” he said. “If someone’s yard is dirty, rake it, son!”