Outcome:
"Oaklawn" tells the story behind the public meetings and comments about the investigation into the search of the unmarked graves stemming from the Race Massacre. It highlights the bureaucratic hurdles through the knowledge and experiences of descendants and members of the Public Oversight Committee.
More broadly, the film delves into the injustices that Black Americans face each day through inequities in all facets of life, including government and policing.
Directed by Ryan McGahan
Research by Randy Hopkins
Cinematography by Daniel Poulain
Interviews by Randy Hopkins and Ryan McGahan
Produced by Randy Hopkins
Executive Producers: Stuart Hetherwood, Chief Egunwale Amusan, and Whitney Chapman
©2023 Center for Public Secrets. All Rights Reserved.
Challenge:
In 2019, a Public Oversight Committee was created as part of the City of Tulsa’s 1921 Graves Investigation to ensure transparency and accountability, according to city officials. The committee was made up largely of descendants of the massacre and leaders within Tulsa’s Black community.
The Committee was repeatedly left in the dark about developments and left out of major decisions. This film reveals their experience and is told by the members themselves. "They said we were the oversight Committee, but we really are the out-of-sight committee,” said State Rep. Regina Goodwin. Goodwin’s frustrations were felt by many in the Committee, who believed there was inconsistent communication and conflict with many of their wishes by officials.
Oaklawn
A documentary film that explores the human impact of Tulsa's 1921 Graves Investigation.
Services: Strategy, Creative Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Graphic Design
