Directed by William Isom II, this short documentary covers the history of Emancipation Day in Southeastern Ohio.
From the oldest continually celebrated Emancipation Day in the US to the oldest still-functioning Black church, Liberated Landscape provides viewers with a short and concentrated glimpse of the rich history produced by a river, the mountains, and a desire for freedom.
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The rural, Black, and Appalachian communities of Gallia and Lawrence Counties preserve and maintain complex narratives vital to understanding the Midwestern United States.
William Isom II is an East Tennessee native and the director of Black in Appalachia (www.blackinappalachia.org). He coordinates the project’s research, community data base development, documentary film and photography production, oral history collection, and educational events with residents.
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