For the past eight months, @juliawall_ and I have been following the course of the Black Lives Matter movement in Graham, the county seat of Alamance County, NC. The result is Sound Of Judgment, a partnership between @newsobserver and @propublica. newsobserver.com/news/state/nor…
The package includes a longform story, a 20-minute documentary and three additional videos, including an interview with Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson. We explore the perspectives of #BLM protesters, #Confederate loyalists and law enforcement. propublica.org/article/small-…
Definitely make time for the documentary by @juliawall_, made with invaluable contributions from @photojeskos, @sohailal_jamea, @almudenatoral, Mauricio Rodríguez Pons and narration by Sylvester Allen Jr. Some things you simply need to see in live action.
The project was an immense team effort. Huge thanks to @txtianmiller, @charlesornstein, @robyntomlin, @cathyclabby, @sdurhams, @ssharpe, @AndreaWise_, @jaypilgreen, @JustinMitchell_, @nrnaik20, @kengos, @ali_calderon14, @Amierjeski, @vizjourno, Robert Willett, Eddie Alvarez ...
& many others. Shout out to all the NC journalists, past and present, whose reporting on Alamance/Triad I read with great appreciation. Among them @marwooda, @natalie_allison, @jordangreennc, @TNIGroves, @AhmedJallow, @TammyGrubb, @dani__battaglia, @Anna_M_Johnson, @AlamanceNews
The reporting for this project stretched from Reconstruction to today, and involved the help of many historians (more on that to come!).
The story isn’t over, either. Later today, we will be covering an event planned by one of the project's main figures to mark the 160th anniversary of North Carolina’s secession from the union. Counter-protesters will be there to make their voices heard, if they’re able.
There's much more to say. For now, I hope people will take the time to watch the documentary and read the story. Thank you for the many forms of support. Long live local journalism!
A postscript: The cast metal bell, memorably fought over by Confederates and #BLM activists in July 2020, was notably missing from the town square yesterday.
https://twitter.com/acrider/status/1395483969295159299?s=20
Three days after BLM activists defiantly rang the bell, the mayor told the city council that its tongue had been removed. The day after #SoundOfJudgment published, the bell was gone. The monument remains.
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