Abraham H. Galloway (1837-1870) was a fiery young slave rebel, radical abolitionist, and Union spy who rose out of bondage to become one of the most significant and stirring black leaders in the South during the Civil War. Throughout his brief, mercurial life, Galloway fought against slavery and injustice. He risked his life behind enemy lines, recruited black soldiers for the North, and fought racism in the Union army’s ranks. He also stood at the forefront of an African American political movement, even leading a historic delegation of black southerners to the White House to meet with President Lincoln and to demand the full rights of citizenship. He later became one of the first black men elected to the North Carolina legislature. Long hidden from history, Galloway’s story reveals a war unfamiliar to most of us. This riveting portrait, adapted by playwright Howard Craft, illuminates Galloway’s life and deepens our insight into the Civil War and Reconstruction as experienced by African Americans in the South.

SHOW DATE & TIMES
Performances will be at 12:30pm and 7:30pm on Novemeber 16th. Both performances are 55 minutes to allow for a talk back Q&A opportunity with Mike Wiley after the show.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Mike Wiley is a North Carolina-based actor & playwright whose compelling works of documentary theatre yield rich and powerful journeys to milestones and turning points of a cultural history. With a remarkable ability to inspire dialog, his creative vision and talents are broad and magnetic, and he shares a gift that helps audiences and communities start to peel layers of misunderstanding. When a curtain comes down on a Mike Wiley performance, the experience has far from “ended.” It’s much more likely that light may have seeped through, that a stubborn door may have just nudged open… More info on the incredibly talented Mike Wiley here.

This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org.