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Leveling Lincoln

The film, Leveling Lincoln interviews the children who lived the history behind the landmark desegregation case of Taylor vs. Board of Education of New Rochelle, NY - 1960-1964. This case branded the city the “Little Rock of the North” in the press, leveled an entire school, and brought the Civil Rights struggle to the “tolerant” North East. The Supreme Court made a covenant with the minority parents of our nation that they could seek a better education in every school district. With the best of intentions, they sent their small children into white schools. What were the intended and unintended consequences?

  • Arden Teresa Lewis
    Director
    Korona Kinder, Monday's Child, Trellis & Vine, Breaking In, Screenplay for Gravel Road - all award winners on Film freeway.
  • Arden Teresa Lewis
    Writer
  • Arden Teresa Lewis
    Producer
  • Kimberly Woods
    Producer
  • Dorothy Oliver
    Key Cast
    Subjects of the documentary
  • Roslyn Williams
    Key Cast
    Subjects of the documentary
  • Ron Williams
    Key Cast
    Subjects of the documentary
  • Alumni of Lincoln School
    Key Cast
    Subjects of the documentary
  • Alumni of New Rochelle High School
    Key Cast
    Subjects of the documentary
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 13 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 31, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    77,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K and HD
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Songs of Our Fathers Juneteenth Celebrations 2022
    New Rochelle, NY
    United States
    June 19, 2022
    Community Screening
  • Harlem International Film Festival
    New York, NY
    United States
    May 20, 2022
    New. York State Premiere
    New York Vision Award
  • Golden Door International Film Festival
    Jersey City, NJ
    United States
    May 14, 2022
    New Jersey State Premiere
  • Rhode Island Black Film Festival
    Providence, Rhode Island
    United States
    April 9, 2022
    World Premiere
    Best Historical Film
  • Indie FEST 2022
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    Virtual Awards Festival
    Four Awards of Excellence Incuding Best Song and Women Director
  • Cannes Virtual Film Awards
    Cannes, France
    France
    No Screenings
    Selected
  • Yofi International Film Festival 2022
    Yonkers, NY
    United States
    December 7, 2022
    New York Premiere
    Best Feature Documentary
  • Road Trip Nation Headquarters 2023
    Orange, CA
    United States
    February 10, 2023
    Corporate Diversity Training Event
Distribution Information
  • NETA/PBS
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: Internet, Free TV
  • InfoBase - Educational Only
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: Video / Disc
Director Biography - Arden Teresa Lewis

Arden Teresa Lewis – She/her/hers - Director/Producer/Project initiator
LEVELING LINCOLN can be streamed on the PBS App and any PBS platform. It was a finalist for Black Public Media’s Open Call and was selected for IDA/Film Independent’s Docuclub, Nov. 2021. In 2022 it garnered several awards for LEVELING LINCOLN including best feature documentary at YoFi Film Fest and Rhode Island Black Film Festival and the New York Vision Award at the Harlem International Film Fest. She is honored that her feature script, Gravel Road, won first place at the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, was a 2019 Second Place Winner at the SENE Fest in Providence, RI, and a Finalist at the Big Apple Film Festival 2019 and Manhattan Film Festival 2019 and a 2018 finalist at the Lady Filmmakers Festival in Beverly Hills among other laurels. She currently has directed a critically acclaimed stage play WALKING IN SPACE, at Theatre West in Hollywood and her play, CASSATT! will be produced their in March of 2024. Originally from New York, Arden has acted OFF Broadway at Primary Stages, The Bouerie Lane Theatre, Soho Playhouse, at the Paper Mill Playhouse and the La Mirada Civic Theatre. Her short films, Monday's Child and Trellis & Vine have earned Laurels from London to Long Beach. She received the Lilian Nesburn Award from the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild for her play, Grandma Good and was a semi-finalist for the Jane Chambers Award with her play, Baby Dreams. Baby Dreams starred Veanne Cox and was published in Theatre Communications Guild Magazine. Her play, Little Rhonda, was produced at Theatre Geo and is part of the Audrey Skirbal Kenis Theatre Archives at the Los Angeles Central Library. Her written work appears in two anthologies: Scenes For Women By Women and Even More Monologues For Women By Women – Tori Haring Smith/Heinemann Press. She holds a BA in theatre from UCLA. Learn more about her at Facebook: ATLewis films. or Website: ardenteresalewis.com https://filmfreeway.com/projects/1563075

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Director Statement

Never assume that what you have in your neighborhood, school, city, state or country was created easily. Most systems in the United States are hard won and bravely created by forward thinkers. "All politics are local" and all study of history should be local too. Every city in this country has a Civil Rights story. New Rochelle, my city, had a few more famous ones, but the case of Taylor v. Board of Education was wiped away except for a few local people who kept it alive with gatherings and a plaque in a park. The Taylors and others who are still alive, won't speak much to press about this case - it is still too fresh and painful. But I found that a few plaintiffs whose names were not listed first on the case, were willing to talk about their parents struggle and how they watched them plan the fight for their education. I found enough plaintiffs to piece the story together and get a sense of how it was to walk into these schools with very little preparation. Many teachers rose to the occasion with kindness and some empathy, but many did not it seems. As a first time director, interviewing people I grew up with about a story that was withheld from me and my peers, was emotional to say the least. I am honored so many agreed to share this historical moment in history that changed integration in the North dramatically. I treasure every moment of the four years working on this hometown story and hope it shines a light on a fairly successful integration story that could inspire others to fight for more integrated schools in our current education climate.
Arden Teresa Lewis - Director - Leveling Lincoln - New Rochelle Class of 1977