From Prayer to Prosperity: The Faith Journey Behind Sarah’s Oil

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him." — James 1:12

James 1:12 is the perfect verse to describe the motivation, resilience, and unshakeable faith I witnessed at the screening of Sarah’s Oil last night.

The film, produced by Derrick Williams and executive produced by Russell and Ciara Wilson, follows the story of the first Black child millionaire at just 12 years old. After signing the deed to the land she was entitled to, Sarah — who was very intelligent and in tune with her spirituality not only had a feeling that her land was bursting with oil, but after having a personal conversation with God, her faith became the leading force behind convincing others that she was more than a child with “implausible” thoughts. She was educated while carrying the spirit of grit, grind, perseverance, and faith.

Sarah’s Oil, which is based on a true story, takes place in the early 1900s in Oklahoma during a time when Black folks were meant to be seen and not heard, where having any glimmer of intelligence meant you were a threat, and standing up for yourself was seen as a sign of disrespect. The bravery and conviction she displayed share parallels with Black women and girls in this generation.

Not many people knew the story of Sarah before this film; an important part of Black history. Therefore, I felt it was important to get the perspective of not knowing our history from the cast themselves. I was able to speak with Kenric Green, who plays Sarah’s dad Joe Rector, and asked him, "with the government trying to erase our history, why does he think it’s important for us to keep digging and telling our stories?"

Kenric said, “I think it’s important that we know that it’s American history being unveiled right now. It’s always important to learn the truth about what happened... the facts in the history of this country. I think as we learn the truth about what things took place what we thought we knew or what we didn’t realize the easier it is to move forward.”

The director, Derrick Williams, elaborated more on that same sentiment during the Q&A panel, saying that when he got the script, he was embarrassed that he didn’t know the story. “I thought about my daughter and all the other Black girls around the country that could be inspired by this eleven-year-old girl during a time where things were not in our favor… so for me, it was like I had to do this story it became my mission.”

The movie not only had the audience cheering for Sarah and saying a few “I know that’s right!” moments, but it also features a soundtrack produced by Songwriters Hall of Fame nominee Tricky Stewart that makes you feel like you’re in Sunday service shaking your tambourine and throwing your hands up.

Tricky teamed up with Grammy-nominated singer Tamar Braxton to write “The Gift,” one of the songs featured in the movie. Tamar said doing this song was about "purpose; knowing what aligned with destiny and spirit." She said, “I’m not an emotional person, but for this record, I was in the booth sobbing because I knew that this was going to be one of those records that touched people’s spirits and emotions.”

Sarah's Oil is a must see for the family; it restores faith while also reminding us that determination does not have an age limit and also to advocate for what you beilive in. Sarah's Oil is in theatre's Friday Nov 7.