Independent Lens Season 9 Episode 14 Banished

In episode 14 of season 9 of Independent Lens, titled "Banished," filmmaker Marco Williams delves into the little-known history of racial cleansing in America. Williams follows the stories of three different communities - Pierce City, Missouri; Forsyth County, Georgia; and Harrison, Arkansas - that forcibly expelled their Black residents in the early 20th century.

Through archival footage, interviews with historians, and personal accounts from descendants of the banished families, Williams paints a vivid picture of the racism and violence that drove these communities to remove their Black members. He also explores the lasting impact of these expulsions, highlighting the generational trauma that persists to this day.

As the episode unfolds, viewers are introduced to Pierce City, a once-thriving railroad town that was home to a large Black population. In 1901, a white mob descended upon the town, burning Black-owned businesses and homes and driving out more than 300 Black residents. Williams speaks with descendants of the banished families, who describe the lasting scars of the violence, including the loss of property, community, and family ties.

In Forsyth County, Georgia, Williams uncovers a chilling legacy of racism. In 1912, a young white woman claimed to have been raped by a Black man, and the resulting hysteria led to a wave of violence against the town's Black residents. The entire Black population was eventually expelled, and Forsyth County remained an all-white community for nearly 75 years. Williams speaks with descendants of both the banished families and the white families who benefited from their expulsion, providing a nuanced look at the complex and painful history of segregation in America.

Finally, Williams travels to Harrison, Arkansas, where he explores the history of the region's white supremacist ideology. In the early 1900s, a group of white residents forcibly expelled the town's Black population, and the legacy of that violence has persisted to this day. Williams speaks with a group of young activists who are working to confront the town's racist past and promote inclusivity and healing.

Through his powerful storytelling and expert use of archival footage, Williams shines a light on a dark chapter in American history that has largely been ignored. "Banished" is a thought-provoking and deeply moving exploration of race, violence, and memory, and a call to confront the legacy of racism that continues to affect communities across the country.