Roots

Last on Roots...

Jump the broom into the land of matrimony.

You're talking escape?

Me never wanted nothing more in my life, Boteng Bediako.

You listen for the signal. Come as quick as you can.

Got a name for her already. We're gonna call her Kizzy.

You ain't gonna leave us here, Toby? This is your home.

It's not my home.

But this my child.

And we family.

Your name means, "Stay put." But it don't mean, "Stay a slave."

It won't never mean that.

Ninsemuso!

Ninsemuso. Ninsemuso, girl.

Ninsemuso, Ninsemuso, girl! Yes!

- Kizzy! - Papa!

Kizzy!

She knows her name, Papa. I teached her her name. I truly did.

Ninsemuso.

What you laughing at, Papa? That's the Africa talk you told me.

Like you teach me

yiro means the tree and tilo means the sun.

You got that right, Kizzy. You got it right.

Ninsemuso.

I'm laughing 'cause you still got it a ways wrong.

Africa ain't the talk. It's the place.

Mandinka is the talk. The talk and the people.

This horse ain't gonna answer to the name Ninsemuso.

On account of your Mandinka talk, Ninsemuso mean "cow."

Kizzy!

Been looking for you, Toby.

I wants to talk with you if you has the time.

Ain't got no time to talk with you now.

Massa want this filly groomed and curried proper.

Besides, I think I know what you want to talk with me about, Noah.

Come, Ninsemuso. Come.

Papa thinks you want to ask him about us jumping the broom, Noah.

Marrying up.

You know what it'd be like when you jumps the broom, Noah?

I would dress up fine in a brand new dimity

Mama make just for the wedding.

Not for wearing any other time ever in my whole life.

And you be in a new black suit.

Finer than a preacher himself.

And the preacher, he put the broom down on the ground afore us.

And the preacher says, "Now, you two gotta hold hands"

"and jump over the broom into the land of matrimony."

Now.

Kizzy.

You know what you got to do

in front of everybody so as the wedding be real?

Kiss.

You ever kissed a boy before, Kizzy?

Of course not. You the only-est boy I know and I ain't never kissed you.

Want to? I do.

Right out there, Doctor, is profit on the hoof. Young Noah.

Yes, fine field-hand.

What we need, begging your pardon, Doctor, but speaking as overseer,

what we need is one of those new Whitney Cotton gins.

Do the... The work of 10 bone-lazy niggers.

Purchase of a gin, Mr. Ordell, wants cash.

Well, you have cash, sir.

Farmers in Georgia, Alabama pay high dollar for a slave to come in and

just clear out new fields for planting.

Now, that Noah is a strong young buck, sir.

He'd bring in cash that's more than enough for down-payment on a gin.

You're new here, Mr. Ordell.

Most of my chattel were born on this place.

Like Noah, young Kizzy. It's Mammy Bell's girl.

You know, I have a covenant with my slaves, all of them.

They know that if they obey my laws and obey my rules,

that they can live out their lives on this plantation.

And never be sold.

And if they break your rules? Disobey your laws, Doctor?

Well, that's quite another matter.

Of course.

Kizzy ain't nothing but a child.

Just out from behind your skirts

and look at her, flouncing around with that Noah

like they is fixing to jump the broom.

If they ain't already has.

- You know what I mean? - I do.

Well, Bell, you the girl's mama.

Don't it fret you none that she liable to walk in here one day with a big belly

and that Noah be the one to blame?

We know that boy since he was born.

And I know his mama Ada since I was sold here more than 30 years now.

I tell you, that Noah got the look of the Wolof people.

I remember them from when I was back in Africa.

Keep to his self, don't say much.

Used to say, "If a Wolof man say, 'Good morning, '"

"it'd be his last good word of the day."

Well, I like Noah.

He's quiet and proud.

- There's only one thing wrong with him. - What's that?

He's just like you.

Only's problem you two have,

maybe you so much alike you'll never get along.

I didn't say I couldn't get along with him.

Well, glad to hear that 'cause Kizzy wants him, that's for sure.

And if that gal gets herself a man like the one I got me,

she can't help but turn out to be one happy woman long as she live.

Mmm.

Mama, Papa. You all hear the news?

Missy Anne gonna be here tomorrow. She be coming back.

Ooh, first time in four years.

I heard. Massa got me currying and grooming that filly on account of it.

Missy Anne. Ain't that fine, Mama?

Surely fine.

I remember the way you two young 'uns used to just go from morning till night.

I remember.

I never forget the first time Missy Anne saw you after you was born.

She was just old enough to talk. She look at you and she say,

"Why, Mammy Bell, she look just like a little nigger baby doll."

She give me a doll once when I was sick.

- She was my best friend. - Can't be.

She was, Papa. The bestest friend I ever had.

Even if she be toubab.

Don't you use that word, toubab.

You be teaching her that African stuff? Now, you know Massa don't hold with that.

You want to see her whipped?

Don't worry, Mama.

I don't say toubab when I'm with white folks. I say, "white folks."

You got to get up early before daylight, Kizzy.

See to it Missy Anne's old room be ready for her.

Yes, Mama.

And you see to it that them andirons be polished up and shiny and...

What's that?

These letters spell out my name.

Missy Anne showed me when we used to play school.

And she showed me about reading and, and writing.

That say Kizzy. K-I-Z-Z-Y.

Oh!

Don't you never do nothing like that again.

No reading. No writing.

Never, ever, you hear me?

White folks know a nigger can read and write,

they see to it that nigger be worse than whipped.

That nigger be sold.

Yes'm.

Massa be in his bestest mood when Missy Anne be here.

He's happy. Happy as can be.

And it's good for him and it's good for everybody.

Don't you do nothing that will cause no trouble.

- Go sit and eat. - Yes, Mama.

Missy Anne knows about the reading and writing. She teached me.

That was when you was children, playing games.

Now, you all growed up.

Are you saying that Missy Anne ain't gonna be my friend no more, Mama?

What I saying, honey, is that when people is children

it don't matter who they is or what they is.

But when they grow up, things can change.

Especially with white folks.

You and Missy Anne, well, things could be different now.

Oh, if things ain't the same between you, don't you fret none.

You got enough love washing over you from your papa and from me

that it won't make no never mind at all.

Hmm?

Eat.

Missy Anne coming back.

It don't seem possible. She's truly coming back.

Reckon the happiest white man in all Spotsylvania County today be Massa Doctor.

He got more than just a niece to set his eyes on after all this time.

More true flesh and blood than just a niece, that's for sure.

Ada, just you hush up with that old gossip now, you hear?

Can't hush up the whole county, Bell.

Ain't a soul black or white ain't hear

how Squire John Reynolds done called out Massa

about carrying on with his missus.

Good thing the Squire didn't find out Missy Anne not his child.

And we don't want her to find out. So just you hush up.

It's impressive, isn't it, Mr. Ordell?

The affection these darkies feel for my niece.

Well, a white woman's a rare sight on this plantation, Doctor.

Yes, it's rare.

Mmm.

Times past, my sister-in-law used to be a frequent visitor here, but

those were times past.

Oh, Uncle William. Oh!

Oh, Uncle William.

- I can scarcely believe it. - Welcome back.

Mammy Bell. Mammy Bell.

Mammy Bell. Oh, Mammy Bell. Oh, Mammy Bell.

- Toby. Mama Ada. - Welcome back, Missy Anne.

Where is she? Where is she, Mammy Bell?

Kizzy. Kizzy. There you are. There you are.

My friend. My dearest friend.

Oh, Kizzy, look at you. You're all grown up.

You're not my little nigger baby doll anymore.

Kizzy. Come on, help me unpack. I want you to see all my new things.

Oh, Kizzy.

Toby.

I wants to talk with you, Toby, if you has the time.

If it's about jumping the broom with my Kizzy, I ain't...

I ain't got the time, I got chores.

It ain't that.

Wants to talk to you about that crippled foot of yours.

Oh, but, Noah, what you care about my old foot?

Well, I heard...

I heard you got it trying to escape.