BREAKING
THE SILENCE

HOW DOCUMENTARIES CAN SHAPE THE CONVERSATION ON RACIAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA AND CREATE NEW COMMUNITIES

A PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH STUDY ON THE FILM ALWAYS IN SEASON

Read The Report Download the Report Download Resource Guide

BY: DAVID CONRAD,
CATY BORUM CHATTOO,
PATRICIA AUFDERHEIDE

FOREWORD BY JACQUELINE OLIVE,
DIRECTOR, ALWAYS IN SEASON

center for media & social impact
school of communication
american university

October 2020

“AS WHITE PEOPLE, WE’RE SO OFTEN LULLED INTO THIS NOTION THAT RACISM DOESN’T EXIST, THAT IT DOESN’T DIRECTLY IMPACT US. SO I THINK THIS DOCUMENTARY... REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE REAL ISSUE AT HAND THAT IS SO OFTEN NOT ADDRESSED BY WHITE PEOPLE AND NOT AS ACKNOWLEDGED. SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR WHITE PEOPLE, TO LEAN INTO THAT DISCOMFORT AND REALIZE THE REALITY OF IT ALL BECAUSE PEOPLE OF COLOR KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING. IT’S HAPPENING TO THEM ALL THE TIME, SO THEREFORE FOR A WHITE PERSON TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE FOR A MOMENT IS BRIEF IN REGARDS TO THE REALITY THAT IS TO A PERSON OF COLOR. I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME IS TO LEAN INTO THAT DISCOMFORT AND BE UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, IT’S 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. ”

“As the mother of three [white] young men, I feel like it’s my responsibility to make sure that they witness information like this, that they are engaged in knowing the history behind it and that they go forward with that knowledge and try to build bridges and make sure that they are not part of that problem.”

“I was just thinking that everybody has to be accountable. Everybody has to be accountable for what’s going on in America. And everybody has to play a role. Everybody has to play a part. I go back to: you just can’t be invisible. You have just got to step out.”

“I see discussions on Facebook about this issue that are just not productive. People will be talking past each other or making accusations ... I just feel like it’s important to go somewhere and meet people and talk to them about these issues as opposed to just being on the computer, spouting out what you think and what you don’t think.”

“THIS FILM REALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE COMMUNITY TOO. THE CROWD AT THESE FILMS IS NOT ALWAYS THIS DIVERSE, AND THAT’S A REAL GIFT TO HAVE THIS TIME TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY.”

"I think the film itself has physical heaviness that I feel after watching it. I feel this heaviness on my heart."

“I think we should actively be seeking out more opportunities. We can say New Hampshire is still mostly white but we can find opportunities to engage. And I think it’s incumbent on all of us to try to find places and spaces where we can step out of that and engage in these conversations.”

"I FELT WHAT ROB SAID TOO. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THIS IN A GROUP SETTING BECAUSE THERE IS A FEELING OF COMMUNITY. YOU'RE NOT IN IT ALL BY YOURSELF. YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE ISSUES ALL BY YOURSELF."

"I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT CREATES A COMMUNITY WHERE SOMETIMES, AROUND THIS VALLEY, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND LIKE: "THIS IS A REAL CONVERSATION." AND OUTLETS LIKE THIS WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST HASH OUT ISSUES, IT'S VERY REFRESHING."

"CAN WE ALL JUST STOP [THE CONVERSATION] FOR A MINUTE, AND WEEP?"

"I WONDERED TO MYSELF, WHY ARE THE WHITE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY NOT STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THIS FAMILY? HOW CAN THEY BE SO DEEP IN THEIR DENIAL OF TRUTH...OR WHY WERE WE NOT DRIVING THERE, TO BLADENBORO, TO DEMAND JUSTICE FOR THESE PEOPLE?"

"I THINK IT PUTS YOU IN THE SHOES OF PEOPLE BETTER THAN THE NEWS, WHICH [FEELS] SEPARATED. YOU'RE MORE DISTANT FROM IT. AND WATCHING THAT DOCUMENTARY YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED"

“OUR MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS FAILING US... THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVEN HEARD OF THIS [LENNON LACY] LYNCHING IN OUR STATE, AND I’M FROM FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WHICH ISN’T FAR FROM BLADENBORO.”

“I THINK THE DOCUMENTARY IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU FICTIONALIZE THIS, THEN IT GIVES PEOPLE AN EXCUSE TO WRITE IT OFF AS THEY MADE THAT PART UP FOR DRAMA’S SAKE. AND IN A DOCUMENTARY YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM IT.”

“I AM HEARTENED THAT THIS STUDY FINDS THAT ALWAYS IN SEASON IS HELPING COMMUNITIES TO BREAK DOWN CULTURES OF SILENCE AROUND RACIAL VIOLENCE.”

“MUCH OF THE NATION SEEMS TO BE AWAKENING TO THE HISTORIC LEGACY OF RACIAL VIOLENCE ON A NEW LEVEL PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN IN MY LIFETIME.”

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR MEDIA & SOCIAL IMPACT (CMSI)

The Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI), based at American University’s School of Communication in Washington, D.C., is an innovation lab and research center that creates, studies, and showcases media for social impact. Focusing on independent, documentary and public media, the Center bridges boundaries between scholars, producers and communication practitioners across media production, media impact, social justice, public policy, and audience engagement. The Center produces resources for the field and academic research; convenes conferences and events; and works collaboratively to understand and design media that matter.

ABOUT THE REPORT

This report was prepared and written by a team at the Center for Media & Social Impact. CMSI executive director Caty Borum Chattoo and CMSI senior research fellow Patricia Aufderheide served as principal investigators. The report was written by David Conrad, CMSI postdoctoral researcher, who also served as the lead researcher on the study, Caty Borum Chattoo, and Patricia Aufderheide. This study was facilitated by the work and support of Varsha Ramani, CMSI communications and program manager. This work was funded by the Independent Television Service (ITVS) made possible through support from the Ford Foundation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project would not have happened without the support of several extraordinary colleagues and organizations, including the following:

RADICAL OPTIMIST PARTNERS:
Lisa Flick Wilson
Vanessa Jackson
Shakita Jones

COMMUNITY PARTNERS/ CO-FACILITATORS:
Alfred Frankowski (Carbondale, IL)
Omonike Akinyemi (Herkimer, NY)
Myra Washington (Albuquerque, NM)
Jada Hebra (Concord, NH)
Justin Vipperman (Twin Falls, ID)
Toria Hale (Bristol, TN)

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS:
Elizabeth Spezia (Carbondale, IL)
Diana Sussman (Carbondale, IL)
Rachel Raney (Durham, NC)
Joshua Clinard (Durham, NC)
Laurel Wyckoff (Albuquerque, NM)
Jemi Broussard (Concord, NH)
Erik Allen (Twin Falls, ID)

WE ALSO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE:
Jacqueline Olive, the filmmaker; Sherry Simpson, ITVS Senior Director of Engagement and Impact; and the ITVS team (Lisa Tawil, Kristy Chin, Zoe Stahl, Katie Koskenmaki, Nora Mohamed, Naima Pettigrew, Michael Ehrenzweig)

COVER PHOTO CREDIT
Patrick Sheehan

DESIGN
Orange Static

PBS Station Partners
East Tennessee PBS
UNC-TV
NMPBS
WSIU Public Broadcasting

Documentary
& Independent Media

Participatory
& Civic Media

Entertainment
& Popular Culture

Fair Use Library

Documentary
& Independent Media

Participatory
& Civic Media

Entertainment
& Popular Culture

Fair Use Library

BREAKING
THE SILENCE

HOW DOCUMENTARIES CAN SHAPE THE CONVERSATION ON RACIAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA AND CREATE NEW COMMUNITIES

A PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH STUDY ON THE FILM ALWAYS IN SEASON

BY: DAVID CONRAD,
CATY BORUM CHATTOO,
PATRICIA AUFDERHEIDE

FOREWORD BY JACQUELINE OLIVE,
DIRECTOR, ALWAYS IN SEASON

“I was just thinking that everybody has to be accountable. Everybody has to be accountable for what’s going on in America. And everybody has to play a role. Everybody has to play a part. I go back to: you just can’t be invisible. You have just got to step out.”

“THIS FILM REALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE COMMUNITY TOO. THE CROWD AT THESE FILMS IS NOT ALWAYS THIS DIVERSE, AND THAT’S A REAL GIFT TO HAVE THIS TIME TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY.”

"I think the film itself has physical heaviness that I feel after watching it. I feel this heaviness on my heart."

“I think we should actively be seeking out more opportunities. We can say New Hampshire is still mostly white but we can find opportunities to engage. And I think it’s incumbent on all of us to try to find places and spaces where we can step out of that and engage in these conversations.”

"I FELT WHAT ROB SAID TOO. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THIS IN A GROUP SETTING BECAUSE THERE IS A FEELING OF COMMUNITY. YOU'RE NOT IN IT ALL BY YOURSELF. YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE ISSUES ALL BY YOURSELF."

"I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT CREATES A COMMUNITY WHERE SOMETIMES, AROUND THIS VALLEY, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND LIKE: "THIS IS A REAL CONVERSATION." AND OUTLETS LIKE THIS WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST HASH OUT ISSUES, IT'S VERY REFRESHING."

"CAN WE ALL JUST STOP [THE CONVERSATION] FOR A MINUTE, AND WEEP?"

"I WONDERED TO MYSELF, WHY ARE THE WHITE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY NOT STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THIS FAMILY? HOW CAN THEY BE SO DEEP IN THEIR DENIAL OF TRUTH...OR WHY WERE WE NOT DRIVING THERE, TO BLADENBORO, TO DEMAND JUSTICE FOR THESE PEOPLE?"

"I THINK IT PUTS YOU IN THE SHOES OF PEOPLE BETTER THAN THE NEWS, WHICH [FEELS] SEPARATED. YOU'RE MORE DISTANT FROM IT. AND WATCHING THAT DOCUMENTARY YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED"

“OUR MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS FAILING US... THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVEN HEARD OF THIS [LENNON LACY] LYNCHING IN OUR STATE, AND I’M FROM FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WHICH ISN’T FAR FROM BLADENBORO.”

“I THINK THE DOCUMENTARY IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU FICTIONALIZE THIS, THEN IT GIVES PEOPLE AN EXCUSE TO WRITE IT OFF AS THEY MADE THAT PART UP FOR DRAMA’S SAKE. AND IN A DOCUMENTARY YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM IT.”

“I AM HEARTENED THAT THIS STUDY FINDS THAT ALWAYS IN SEASON IS HELPING COMMUNITIES TO BREAK DOWN CULTURES OF SILENCE AROUND RACIAL VIOLENCE.”

“MUCH OF THE NATION SEEMS TO BE AWAKENING TO THE HISTORIC LEGACY OF RACIAL VIOLENCE ON A NEW LEVEL PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN IN MY LIFETIME.”

Table of Contents

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR MEDIA & SOCIAL IMPACT (CMSI)

ABOUT THE REPORT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Read The Report

NEXT

FOREWORD

BREAKINGTHE SILENCE

HOW DOCUMENTARIES CAN SHAPE THE CONVERSATION ON RACIAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA AND CREATE NEW COMMUNITIES

A PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH STUDY ON THE FILM ALWAYS IN SEASON

BY: DAVID CONRAD,CATY BORUM CHATTOO,PATRICIA AUFDERHEIDEFOREWORD BY JACQUELINE OLIVE,DIRECTOR, ALWAYS IN SEASON

“I was just thinking that everybody has to be accountable. Everybody has to be accountable for what’s going on in America. And everybody has to play a role. Everybody has to play a part. I go back to: you just can’t be invisible. You have just got to step out.”

“THIS FILM REALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE COMMUNITY TOO. THE CROWD AT THESE FILMS IS NOT ALWAYS THIS DIVERSE, AND THAT’S A REAL GIFT TO HAVE THIS TIME TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY.”

"I think the film itself has physical heaviness that I feel after watching it. I feel this heaviness on my heart."

“I think we should actively be seeking out more opportunities. We can say New Hampshire is still mostly white but we can find opportunities to engage. And I think it’s incumbent on all of us to try to find places and spaces where we can step out of that and engage in these conversations.”

"I FELT WHAT ROB SAID TOO. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THIS IN A GROUP SETTING BECAUSE THERE IS A FEELING OF COMMUNITY. YOU'RE NOT IN IT ALL BY YOURSELF. YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE ISSUES ALL BY YOURSELF."

"I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT CREATES A COMMUNITY WHERE SOMETIMES, AROUND THIS VALLEY, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND LIKE: "THIS IS A REAL CONVERSATION." AND OUTLETS LIKE THIS WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST HASH OUT ISSUES, IT'S VERY REFRESHING."

"CAN WE ALL JUST STOP [THE CONVERSATION] FOR A MINUTE, AND WEEP?"

"I WONDERED TO MYSELF, WHY ARE THE WHITE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY NOT STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THIS FAMILY? HOW CAN THEY BE SO DEEP IN THEIR DENIAL OF TRUTH...OR WHY WERE WE NOT DRIVING THERE, TO BLADENBORO, TO DEMAND JUSTICE FOR THESE PEOPLE?"

"I THINK IT PUTS YOU IN THE SHOES OF PEOPLE BETTER THAN THE NEWS, WHICH [FEELS] SEPARATED. YOU'RE MORE DISTANT FROM IT. AND WATCHING THAT DOCUMENTARY YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED"

“OUR MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS FAILING US... THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVEN HEARD OF THIS [LENNON LACY] LYNCHING IN OUR STATE, AND I’M FROM FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WHICH ISN’T FAR FROM BLADENBORO.”

“I THINK THE DOCUMENTARY IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU FICTIONALIZE THIS, THEN IT GIVES PEOPLE AN EXCUSE TO WRITE IT OFF AS THEY MADE THAT PART UP FOR DRAMA’S SAKE. AND IN A DOCUMENTARY YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM IT.”

“I AM HEARTENED THAT THIS STUDY FINDS THAT ALWAYS IN SEASON IS HELPING COMMUNITIES TO BREAK DOWN CULTURES OF SILENCE AROUND RACIAL VIOLENCE.”

“MUCH OF THE NATION SEEMS TO BE AWAKENING TO THE HISTORIC LEGACY OF RACIAL VIOLENCE ON A NEW LEVEL PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN IN MY LIFETIME.”

Table of Contents

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR MEDIA & SOCIAL IMPACT (CMSI)

ABOUT THE REPORT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Read The Report

NEXT

FOREWORD

Table of Contents

BREAKING
THE SILENCE

BY: DAVID CONRAD,
CATY BORUM CHATTOO,
PATRICIA AUFDERHEIDE

FOREWORD BY JACQUELINE OLIVE,
DIRECTOR, ALWAYS IN SEASON