Original Series “SAM - A SAXON” Inspires Landmark U.S Educational Tour from Leading Cultural and Academic Institutions


Original Series “SAM - A SAXON” Inspires Landmark U.S Educational Tour from Leading Cultural and Academic Institutions

“SAM – A SAXON,” based on the incredible true story of Samuel Njankouo Meffire, East Germany’s first Black policeman, will be at the center of an historic U.S Educational Tour hosted by leading political and cultural institutions this September.

Spearheaded by the Black German Heritage and Research Association (BGHRA), in association with the German Embassy Washington, Goethe Institute, and Fremantle-backed Big Window Productions, a label of UFA Fiction, the U.S Educational tour is a landmark cultural event to help highlight the groundbreaking impact the series has had on the Afro-German and  Black communities – and the opportunities it sets out to create for underrepresented and underserved voices in the industry.

Visiting several states, the U.S Educational Tour will commence in Davidson, North Carolina, before moving onto Chicago, and concluding in New York, where some of the country’s leading institutions will host an exclusive week-long series of student masterclass workshops and exclusive screening events including:
1.  Davidson College, Monday, Sept. 18, at Duke Family Performance Hall
2.  University of Illinois Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 20 at Goethe-Institut Chicago, 150 N. Michigan.
3.  Columbia University School of Journalism, Friday 22 September - Goethe-Institut New York

The seven-part series available to stream exclusively on Hulu follows “Sam” (Malick Bauer) who joins the police force after his father’s murder. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, he becomes the face of an anti-racism campaign and a media sensation, catapulting him into a newly formed police squad with the mission to squash the rising tide of neo-Nazis in the post-communist East. His fame and success as a Nazi-hunter is not appreciated by everyone. His journey takes a dark turn, and he eventually finds himself framed as an internationally wanted criminal and branded Germany’s ‘public enemy number one’.

Through Sam's eyes, the series allows audiences to experience his fight for recognition, justice, and a place he can call home in the wild years following German reunification.

“Sam – A Saxon” combines an outstanding and diverse team both behind and in front of the camera with the following talents confirmed to participate on the U.S educational tour:
·        Samuel Meffire
·        Malick Bauer (as Sam Meffire)
·        Ivy Quainoo (as Jenny) also star of “The Voice Germany”, and Germany’s “Hamilton”.
·        Paula Essam Baumert (as Sabine)
·        Jörg Winger – Creator, showrunner, head writer, executive producer
·        Tyron Ricketts – Creator, actor, executive producer
·        Chris Silber – Creator, head writer, executive producer

Rosemarie Peña, Ph.D., President of the BGHRA & Emily Frazier-Rath, Ph.D, BGHRA Executive Director of Education Initiatives, and Visiting Assistant Professor of German Studies at Davidson College, commented:

“It is indeed with honor and great pride that the Black German Heritage and Research Association (BGHRA) presents the cast, production team, and the real-life inspiration for the groundbreaking Hulu series, “SAM – A SAXON”. We hope that the U.S. university tour will provide students as well as faculty, staff, and community members a memorable experience meeting and learning from some of the talents behind this groundbreaking show. In the spirit of transnational community-building and fostering mutual respect and support, we hope this tour promotes the exchange of ideas and flow of creative work.

In the telling of Sam Meffire’s powerful story, the series sheds a brilliant light on a multicultural Black diaspora community that has long been underrepresented in German media. Importantly, the series has significant implications for the U.S. community of Black Germans, who have been rekinning with their families and counterparts in Germany over several decades. It’s a joy to be finally seen.”

Click on the Eventbrite link below for ticket information: 
An Evening with 'Sam, a Saxon': Screening and Discussion with Cast and Crew Tickets, Wed, Sep 20, 2023 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite

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