Reception and screening of JOURNEYS IN THE LIGHT: Democracy, Diversity, and Myth in the Wake of the Mayflower

JOURNEYS IN THE LIGHT looks beyond the Euro-centric Mayflower story to present highlights in the history of the African American, Cape Verdean, and Wampanoag people on Cape Cod since the arrival of the English settlers in 1620. The film’s creators—the late John L. Reed and filmmaker Janet Murphy Robertson—find in Native American governance, as well as in the unrealized ideals of some of the early settlers, powerful relevance for the divided America of today.

Featured in the film are important Cape Cod artists including Robin Joyce Miller, Carl Lopes, Pamela Chatterton-Purdy, Joe Diggs, Michael Alfano, Sean Cassidy, Vasco Pires, and others. Local historians and history-lovers associated with the museum over the years—John L. Reed, Dolores DaLuz, Harold Tobey, Julia Johnson, Scoba Rhodes, Deb Dagwan, the museum’s resident artists, and many others—provided stories and insights that give a window into this historic community and, in the process, the broader story of America.

The film and the evening’s proceedings are dedicated to the memory of John Reed, past president of Zion Union Heritage Museum and long-time advocate and promoter of social justice and civil rights on Cape Cod, who passed away in February 2023.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Zion Museum, whose resident artists, board, and volunteers are featured in the film along with their works, stories, and insights.