Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground: Documentary Film

The Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground in Richmond, Virginia is one of the state's most endangered historic places, and holds the distinction of being the largest burial ground for free and enslaved African Americans in the United States. Over 22,000 souls are interred there. Despite its size and historical significance, this sacred ground has faced centuries of neglect, erasure, and desecration. It was almost completely forgotten for the better part of the last century.

Beginning in the early 1900s, the city of Richmond deliberately erased the site from public maps and destroyed parts of it to make land available for private development and infrastructure projects. Even while it was still active, the burial ground suffered from grave robbers, a powder magazine explosion, and a number of other destructive acts. Despite its erasure from the visible landscape, the burial ground still exists beneath the surface -- under roads, buildings, railways, and sidewalks. It remains.

Our documentary recounts the untold history of this site, which was rediscovered in recent years thanks to the work of Lenora McQueen, who encountered it while searching for the resting place of her 4th-great-grandmother. Over the past several years, Lenora has become the site's foremost protector, knowledge-keeper, and advocate. Her tireless work has led to the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground's recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and partial designation as a cemetery by the Richmond City Council.

But the fight continues. Today, Lenora is working to protect the site from new threats that could cause further damage to the burial ground -- from high-speed rail to highway expansions. Thanks to this city's former status as "the largest slave trading center in the Upper South", historians estimate that more than 1 in 4 African Americans today can trace their ancestry to Richmond. While Lenora is the only publicly known descendant of those interred at Shockoe Hill, we know there are countless others in Richmond, across the United States, and beyond who share her story.

The film includes interviews with Lenora, elected officials, historians, activists, artists, landscape architects, and community members. We blend poetry, music, archival footage, and other mediums in our effort to do this incredible story justice. This project has been almost entirely self-funded by the crew, with the help of a few small grants.

After months of research and filming, we have concluded production. But we still need your help to bring this story to the world. As we enter the post-production phase—editing, sound design, festival submissions, and distribution—we’re asking for your support to help us complete the documentary. Your contributions will enable us to honor the memory of those buried at Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, amplify Lenora’s fight, and share this critical piece of American history.

Project Goals:

With your support, we aim to complete editing the film by late February 2025, and premiere it at select festivals in the spring and summer. We also plan to host a number of community screening events in the Richmond, Charlottesville, and Washington, D.C. areas. After festival screenings conclude, we hope to secure distribution/broadcasting for the film to be available nationally and internationally.

Join us in preserving and sharing the story of the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground. Together, we can help ensure this sacred site and the thousands of stories it holds are never lost again.

Filmmaker Bio:

Michael Solomon is a 23-year-old filmmaker and photographer based in Silver Spring, Maryland. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he studied history and was named a 2023 Harry S. Truman Scholar. His most recent film, Mon Afrique, is an award-winning experimental short that has been featured at the Black Harvest Film Festival (Chicago), the March On Festival (Washington, D.C.), Film Africa (London), and more. With a background in public advocacy and grassroots organizing, Michael is a firm believer in the power of film and the arts as vehicles for social change.

View his photography portfolio here: https://teztalem.format.com

Recognition for Your Support:

Supporters will receive exclusive access to view the final film before any public screenings, including an in-depth Q&A session with the cast and crew. Additionally, anyone contributing $150 or more will be recognized in the film credits as a proud supporter of this project.

Thank you for your help. It means the world to us!