2018-400-E Arts - Iris Chapman arts grant

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 4D49D95C -F215- 4967- A701- 479980AE3166 Project /Program In 2014, Amos Stokes painted a mural at Hillsborough Elementary Summary School that depicted the activities and goings -on at the then Central High School prior to its closing in 1968. The impetus for that project grew out of a loss of the school's history and an attempt to bring it back to the collective memories of those who had gone there a lifetime before it became an elementary school. I am proposing now to produce a video documentary that tells the story of the closing of Central High School. African - American children attended Central High School from 1938 -1968. It was during our 50th year commemorative celebration this year that I knew this story needed to be told. I met Ms Eliza Jones, the oldest living graduate of Central High, who graduated in 1939. Now 98 years old, she has kept alive stories of the earliest history of the school. Moreover, listening to snapshot reflections of the tumultuous time of integration from both black and white teachers and coaches, further made it clear that there was a lot more that could have been said had we more time to listen regarding the desegregation of Orange County Schools. Moreover, this story has universality for it will no doubt replicate what happened to so many high schools in the South. Finally, as Kaye Crawford stated in her letter of support, "Deaths will be occurring more rapidly in the next few years and their stories as well as the stories of other black former students and teachers will be lost if careful efforts are not made to record them quickly," for the youngest graduates of Central High are now 68 years old. I envision the documentary being done in two stages: (1) The Actual Filming (teachers, coaches, students, administrators, schools, pictures) to be done this year, July 2018 -June 2019 (2) Editing and Post Production, July 2019 -June 2020 The Central- Orange High School Alumni Association would be one of the community partners for this event, for they were the organization sponsoring the 50th Commemorative Celebration and 50 years of Desegregation of Orange County Schools.