Louisiana Public Broadcasting was rewarded with a grant from the NEA to assist with a documentary of an event that took place in April 1873 in Colfax, Louisiana.
(May 31, 2023 – Statewide) – The Colfax Massacre is a little known and dark chapter in the history of Louisiana and America. This shocking event and its generational impact are the subjects of the new documentary film THE COLFAX MASSACRE, currently in production by Riverside Films in partnership with Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB). The film was recently approved for a $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
The Colfax Massacre occurred in April 1873 in Colfax, Louisiana, in Grant Parish. It started with a fight for control of the local government after a hotly contested gubernatorial election. In the end, it’s estimated that anywhere from 60 to 150 Black men were killed by white supremacists. It was one of the worst incidents of racial violence after the Civil War and spawned a legal battle that set the stage for segregation for generations of Americans.
THE COLFAX MASSACRE, coming to LPB and PBS stations nationwide in 2024, reveals this tragic history and explores its impact through interviews with historians as well as descendants. “This was a pivotal moment in not just Louisiana history, but also for the trajectory of race relations in our country over the next 150 years,” says LPB Executive Producer Linda Midgett. “We are honored to be partnered with filmmakers Joseph Dorman and Kelly Williams to bring the past to light and also share the strength and resilience of the descendants.”
“The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to support a wide range of projects, including THE COLFAX MASSACRE, demonstrating the many ways the arts enrich our lives and contribute to healthy and thriving communities,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD.
