By: ZaNaria Bowens
February 25, 2024
Piney Woods, the oldest Black coeducational college preparatory boarding school, located 21 miles southeast of Jackson, Mississippi, is showcased in a completely different light. The Piney Woods documentary, which premiered on Hulu & Disney+ on February 23, 2024, honors and celebrates Black History Month.
Founded in 1909 by Dr. Laurence Clifton Jones beneath a cedar tree with only one student, Piney Woods rapidly expanded despite adversity, making history as the longest-standing school for Black students. It upholds the mission of "Head, Hearts, and Hands," aiming for self-sustainability and education while working on the land they live on, with a core foundation in Christianity.
"It's a clear picture of self-sustainability. We have our own drinking water system, wastewater treatment, 1,000 acres of renewable timber that we cut, and we grow food on our farms," said current Piney Woods President and Alumni, Dr. Will Crossley.
Dr. Crossley continued, "What you see in the film is young people in a space that accepts them for who they are and allows them to truly be the great person they can be."
Through comprehensive educational programs that prepare students to be doers in today's society, Piney Woods students excel for academic success in a completely different world from normal public schools, offering experiential learning programs and responsible citizenship in a Christian community.
Shining a light on a different world at Piney Woods is evident in their growth and expansion during a series of life-changing events, including the civil rights movement, the ruling on Brown vs. Board of Education, the election of the first Black president, Barack Obama, and the Black Lives Matter Movement in response to police brutality and systemic racism, to name a few.
Filmmaker and producer of "Scared Soil: Piney Woods - A School Story," J.J. Anderson, reveals the inception of the production, stating, "This story is urgent today, urgent tomorrow, and is long overdue."
Anderson further explained the importance of three mediums of visuals within the film, focusing on digital, film, and student camera footage, "Allowing us to see the students the way they see themselves. It's also about giving them the tools to be empowered about their own storytelling," said Film Director J.J. Anderson.
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