Description: 60 minute documentary film produced in partnership with Blue Ridge PBS

Purpose for Gainsboro Documentary:  Gainsboro Revisited is the title of this documentary about the historic Gainsboro community in Roanoke, Va. 

Pre-dating the establishment of the City of Roanoke, during the early 20th century Gainsboro became a self-sustaining African American community that thrived until the mid-20th century. Like many other cities, Roanoke was home to segregation. Black communities were created out of necessity due to the inability of black citizens to participate fully in local government or economic development. Black-owned businesses, medical clinics, a hospital, churches, schools, and future civil rights giants were produced in Gainsboro. But more importantly, Gainsboro was a thriving cultural center where children were raised, people worshiped, and a strong community fabric was woven. This film will tell the story of Gainsboro that ties it to dozens of other communities like it in Virginia and around the nation. 

Distribution:  Blue Ridge PBS will air the program in primetime on both Blue Ridge PBS and PBS Appalachia-Virginia. The combined coverage area of the two sister stations covers the western half of Virginia, from approximately Lynchburg to the borders of Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia. Blue Ridge PBS will also utilize partnerships with the other PBS affiliates in Virginia including WHRO in Hampton Roads, Virginia Public Media in Richmond and Central Virginia, and WETA, which serves DC and Northern Virginia. Blue Ridge PBS often partners with these stations in order to assure statewide broadcast of content that is of interest to the Commonwealth. The documentary would also be housed on the Blue Ridge PBS ECHO Channel, which offers content online, on demand to global viewers.

Structure: The film will include archival photographs, oral histories, and videography documenting the community today. Blue Ridge PBS will use state of the art digital cameras and high definition drone video to demonstrate what remains and what was lost when “urban renewal” arrived. Local and national experts like Dr. Mindy Fullilove and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Mary Bishop will be interviewed to provide context for the Gainsboro story. The film makers would like to collaborate with the Harrison Museum of African American History and the Virginia Room at the Roanoke City Library, whose collections offer unparalleled documentation of the community. We envision extensive use of the drawings and paintings of David Ramey, Sr., currently on loan to the Taubman Museum and the Harrison Museum in Roanoke. We are in discussions with the Ramey family and the museums to secure access to the images.

Filming sites: Claytor Property, Burrell Hospital, Henry Street, Dumas Hotel, Northeast, Gilmer Avenue, Patton Avenue, Hotel Roanoke, Washington Park, Old Lick Cemetary, Harrison School, Lucy Addison, Gainsboro Road, Gainsboro Library, Hill Street Baptist, First Baptist Gainsboro, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian, Greater Mt. Zion and others.

People to feature: Claytor Family, Dr. and Mrs. Burrell, Lucy Addison, Oliver Hill, Dudley family, Downing family, Lawson family, Dr. James H. Roberts, Chubb family, Mayor Noel C. Taylor, Oscar Micheaux, Roanoke Tribune, Virginia Y. Lee, Kathleen Ross, Helen Davis, Margaret and Alice Roberts, Former Assistant City Manager Earl Reynolds, Dr. Reginald Shareef, Dr. Mindy Fullilove, and Mary Bishop. 

Staff and Project Contacts:

• Richard Bennett, rbennett@blueridgepbs.org, 540-761-9007
• Tom Landon, tlandon@blueridgepbs.org, 540-983-1760
• Carol Jennings, cjennings@blueridgepbs.org, 540-983-1779
• Jordan Bell, jordanbell274@yahoo.com