Wonderland Film Series honors the untold narratives of the Durham Hayti community

The Wonderland Theater was a landmark of the Durham Hayti community in the 1920s, and its legacy lives on today. 

Provident1898 of Durham is hosting a series of free film screenings to honor this theater and the heritage of the Hayti neighborhood — the historic Black community of Durham. The first film of the Wonderland Film Series is "Wilmington on Fire," a documentary about the Wilmington Massacre of 1898. 

The series lasts through May, with screenings on the first Thursday of every month except in February. The first screening will be held on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Provident1898 space, located in the Tower at Mutual Plaza. Provident1898 is a co-working space designed to create opportunities for entrepreneurs and artists. Tickets are sold out, but walk-ins will be accepted if spaces become available. 

The series was organized by a team at Provident1898 including Jasmine Bowles, director of operations and member engagement, and Carl Webb, co-founder of the organization. 

 “The film series really came out of a desire to tell the untold stories of success and accomplishment that happened within the Durham Hayti community,” Webb said. “We’ve seen so much transition happen in downtown Durham, and so many of the stories have just been lost to progress.” 

One of these success stories is that of the Wonderland Theater. Webb said he wanted to acknowledge the resilience it took for this theater to succeed during the segregation of the 1920s. 

“It can serve as an inspiration for the next generation to see how much can be done with such small resources during very, very challenging times,” Webb said. 

Not all the film choices have been finalized yet, but they will all tap into the theme of undiscovered narratives, Bowles said. The team at Provident1898 is passionate about honoring the untold story of the Wonderland Theater. Bowles said she hopes each individual film illustrates a similar storytelling determination. 

 “The filmmaker has a direct passion and fire to tell that individual story, for whatever reason that is,” she said.

The first film of the series, "Wilmington on Fire," is directed by Christopher Everett and documents the 1898 white supremacist attack on the Black community of Wilmington. Until 2006, the truth about this massacre was largely untold, and Wilmington on Fire plays an important role in sharing this story. The film emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes of the past and understanding how this history shapes today’s community, Everett said.

 “One of the main reasons why I did this film was to educate people on why we need to take politics seriously and why we need to all work together, regardless of race and gender,” he said. 

"Wilmington on Fire" illuminates a pivotal time in North Carolina history, Webb said. 1898 also marked the creation of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance, which became the largest Black-owned insurance company in the country. It was originally based in the Tower at Mutual Plaza, where Provident1898 is now located. 

The history depicted in the documentary emphasizes the theme of resilience in the face of hardship, Webb described.

“During one of North Carolina’s darkest periods, this heinous thing happened,” he said. “But by the same token, the human spirit rose again to create opportunity for people to move forward.” 

@lizcj00

arts@dailytarheel.com