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After heavy criticism, American producer Joey McFarland apologized for bringing a photograph of "Whipped Peter" to the premiere of Emancipation on November 30.
The film was showcased at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles when the 50-year-old personality showed up with an original picture of an enslaved man from 1863.
On Monday, December 5, Joey McFarland took to his Instagram handle to issue a lengthy apology.
A section of the statement read:
“I wholeheartedly apologize to everyone I have offended by bringing a photograph of Peter to the ‘Emancipation’ premiere. My intent was to honor this remarkable man and to remind the general public that his image not only brought about change in 1863 but still resonates and promotes change today.”
The picture showed a man in a Union army uniform with several scars on his back, giving people a better understanding of the extremities of slavery.
All you need to know about Whipped Peter and why Joey McFarland brought his picture
According to Bet, Whipped Peter, whose real name was Gordon, was born on a 3,000-acre plantation in Louisiana. He suffered severe whipping that almost caused him to die, after which he decided to escape the plantation along with 40 other people held in slavery.
He later joined the military forces, thanks to the Emancipation Proclamation that allowed formerly enslaved people to enroll in the Union Army. During a medical examination, he showed brutal scars on his back, which caused an uproar among white people and served as a catalyst to abolish the Civil War.
Joey McFarland's Emancipation is inspired by Whipped Peter's story, which is why he brought his original picture to the film's premiere in Los Angeles.
While speaking with Variety, he said:
"I have the photo. This is the original photograph from 1863. I wanted it to be here tonight. I wanted a piece of Peter to be here tonight. Sadly to say, so many artifacts and photographs have not been preserved or curated, or respected. And I took it upon myself to curate and build a collection for future generations."
In his apology statement on Instagram, Joey McFarland stated that he uncovered Peter's story with the help of "diligent historians" and worked with the team of Emancipation to bring this story to life.
“So worldwide audiences would have an opportunity to appreciate his heroism. I hope my actions don’t distract from the film’s message, Peter’s story and just how much impact he had on the world.”
He added that during the making of Emancipation, he discovered several "historically important individuals" whose stories also had to be told.
Joey McFarland concluded the post by adding that he had always planned to donate the pictures to the appropriate institution in consultation with the community.
Helmed by Antoine Fuqua, Emancipation stars Will Smith in the lead role and is scheduled to release on Apple TV+ on Friday, December 9.
