Over the summer, dozens of students from all across Madison County conducted interviews and created the framework of what will be a documentary highlighting Black excellence in the area.  IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports.

Documentary producer Maria Alexander got the idea to make the film when she was doing focus group interviews with the group Madison County Standing Up for Racial Equality.

“There was a Black 17-year-old male and he was saying, when asked, what do you think about the community? Do you want to stay here after graduating? And he said, I don’t see anybody who looks like me who’s successful in Anderson that stays,” said Alexander.

That student’s response inspired her to help showcase the achievements of Black men and women in the community that aren’t well known.

Madison County students interviewed Black community role models who are at least 40 years old. The students asked them about their life stories, contributions they’ve made to the community, and what “Black excellence” means to them.

“We’ve had the stories of Black excellence in our community for a long time,” Alexander said. “They’ve just been waiting to be told.”

Locals who will be featured include founder of the Gathering of the Queens, Marilynn Collier, and former Anderson city councilwoman Rebecca Crumes.

Alexander says the goal of the project is to be able to play it in schools and show individuals, like the teenager who inspired the documentary, that they are seen and belong in Madison County.  She added she is especially proud of the trust and encouragement the students developed with one another.

Read More: Young voters gather at the Anderson Impact Center

The community screening for the documentary is set for October 19 at the Anderson Impact Center.

Alexander says the students who participated in the documentary are hoping to make another one next year, this one centering on the next generation of Black excellence in Madison County.

Hear more about the documentary project on Pop of Culture – season 1, episode 36 – airing October 18 and 19 at noon.

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu