University of Southern Maine

News Releases

USM Graduate Student Lead Historical Advisor for “Amazing Grace”

March 30, 2007

University of Southern Maine American and New England Studies graduate student Kevin Belmonte served as the lead historical advisor to the new movie “Amazing Grace.” The film is the story of William Wilberforce, a member of Parliament instrumental in abolishing slavery in the British Empire 50 years before America freed its slaves. Belmonte is the author of the award-winning Wilberforce biography, “Hero for Humanity,” and holds a M.A. in church history from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He’s currently working on his second master’s degree at USM. He came to USM to study under Professor of American and New England Studies Joseph Conforti, an expert on the colonial American Congregational preacher Jonathan Edwards.

Belmonte lives in York, Maine, and works at Gordon College in Mass. Information on the movie can be found at http://www.amazinggracemovie.com.

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