Silence in the Mississippi Delta - Hawkins vs The Town of Shaw

This documentary tells the story about Andrew Hawkins Sr. & his family suing the town of Shaw, Mississippi for the disparities prevalent in the neighborhoods of the African American community around one of the peaks in the Civil Rights Movement, Freedom Summer.

  • Tijaha S. Richardson
    Director
  • Tijaha S. Richardson
    Writer
  • Tijaha S. Richardson
    Producer
  • Yvette G. Richardson
    Producer
  • Gloria Hawkins Scott
    Interviewees
  • Mary Sue G. Short
    Interviewees
  • Bennie G. Thompson
    Interviewees
  • Willie Griffin
    Interviewees
  • Melvyn R. Lowenthal
    Interviewees
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Student
  • Genres:
    History, Documentary, Black History, Participatory, Interview, Mixed, Expository, Observational
  • Runtime:
    31 minutes 3 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 17, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    700 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Southern Miss
Director Biography - Tijaha S. Richardson

Tijaha Richardson is a 24 year old independent filmmaker, producer, director, screenwriter, philanthropist, entrepreneur, & motivational content creator. She is from Pearl, Mississippi & became interested in filming at the age of 12. Her focus on pursuing a career in filming was nailed in at the age of 16 when she decided to take a Digital Media class for an extracurricular credit & began to learn how to edit videos. In the Spring of 2020, she graduated from the University of Southern Miss with a Bachelors of Arts degree as a Entertainment Industry (Media Production) major & Black Studies minor. While receiving her degree in the mail, she was informed that her first documentary was chosen in the top 30 percentile for the School of Mass Communication Showcase at the University of Southern Miss. As a filmmaker her goal is to not only to fulfill her purpose; but to also show representation of all minorities in her films & share untold stories that are not known or taught to the public.

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Director Statement

As a creator pursuing a career in the filming industry, I want to educate, inspire, & uplift individuals who are not represented in widely the media. Ever since I was 12 years old, I could never understand why black and other minorities were not highlighted in a positive light within media nor in the books that we read in the library. That's why my focus is to create films that all minorities can relate to, create movies that reveal hidden trailblazers, & create films that break the boundaries of how far you can go within fantasy worlds.