'Generational Guardians'

This film is part of the Weariness to the Flesh project.

Historically, Asheville has presented an image of harmony and inclusivity. Historian Darin J. Waters asserts this is a "veneer" that "the city's white leaders were successful in constructing." He writes that in reality Blacks in Asheville were not able "to fully participate in the city's social, political, and economic structure after the[Civil] war.”

Early settlers in the area marveled at the beauty of the mountains, enjoyed the crisp air, and took advantage of the regional health benefits. With the completion of the Buncombe Turnpike and the Western North Carolina Railroad, Asheville was open for business and attracted people like Edwin Wiley Grove and George Vanderbilt.

But who "built" the region and helped fashion the veneer? Where did the labor for the health resorts, hotels, and railroads come from? The history of Black Asheville shows a self-determining nature worth celebrating. These citizens created their own communities, churches, schools, and businesses. In Generational Guardians, Johnny Lee Chapman, III and Anthony Otto Nelson, Jr. take viewers through Asheville’s Black history using poetry and movement.

Runtime: 10:27 Poem: Written and performed by Johnny Lee Chapman, III
Choreography: Anthony Otto Nelson, Jr. Performance coordinator: Myra Weise, Proxemic Media
Video: Filmed and edited by John Laww Director and producer: Michael S. Williams