River Blues Community Development Organization Awarded Missouri Humanities Council Grant to Bring the Story of The Ville to Life on Screen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE · JULY 2026

Introducing “The Ville: Legacy & Rebirth”, a 30-minute documentary celebrating African American heritage as part of Missouri’s 250-year story

ST. LOUIS, MO — We are thrilled to announce that River Blues Community Development Organization has been deemed a recipient of a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) in support of a new documentary: “The Ville: Legacy & Rebirth.” The MHC is the only statewide agency in Missouri devoted exclusively to humanities education for citizens of all ages and has proudly served as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities since 1971. This grant reflects the MHC’s deep commitment to ensuring that all Missourians’ stories are told, honored, and passed on.

“The Ville: Legacy & Rebirth” is a 30-minute documentary that contributes to The Story of Us: 250 Years as Told by Missouri by bringing into full light a vital, yet often underrepresented, chapter of the state’s history, the African American experience. The film centers on the legacy of the historic Ville neighborhood in North St. Louis City and invites viewers to witness its rebirth through the transformation of Simmons School (originally the Elleardsville School for Colored Children No. 8, opened in 1873 as the first Black institution in The Ville) into The Simmons Mark, a Historic Preservation mixed-use development that will breathe new life into this storied community.

In its heyday, The Ville was nothing short of extraordinary. One of the most self-sufficient African American communities in the nation, it was Missouri’s own version of Black Wall Street, a proud, thriving hub of education, commerce, and culture. Its landmarks tell the story: Charles Sumner High School, the first high school for African Americans west of the Mississippi River; Homer G. Phillips Hospital, a major training hospital conceived by and for Black St. Louisans; and a full, flourishing ecosystem of Black-owned businesses that kept the neighborhood’s economy vibrant. The dollar, it was said, circulated within the community up to 27 times before leaving. Through this documentary, built on archival research, intimate oral histories, and deep community engagement, we invite you to rediscover this remarkable place alongside the former students, residents, historians, and stakeholders who lived it and love it still.

“The Ville is not a story of what was lost. It is a testament to what endures. This documentary will carry those voices forward, connecting the courage and brilliance of the past to the promise of what The Ville is becoming. We are so grateful to the Missouri Humanities Council for making this possible, and we cannot wait to share it with the world.”

— Caroline Moore, Executive Director, River Blues Community Development Organization

Bringing this story to the screen is a remarkable team of St. Louis artists and scholars. Award-winning filmmaker Thomasina Clarke (the SpontaNubian), a lifelong resident of The Ville and founder of the St. Louis Youth Film Festival, will direct. Lois Ingrum of Artists Media Co-op brings her 30-plus years of documentary photography and community storytelling to the cinematography. New York Times bestselling author and award-winning producer Lyah Beth LeFlore will shape the film’s narrative voice. Acclaimed humanities scholar and historian Dr. John A. Wright, Sr., co-author of Extraordinary Black Missourians, will ground the film in historical rigor. Internationally celebrated storyteller and three-time Emmy Award winner, humanities scholar Bobby Norfolk, will lend his extraordinary voice to the film’s narration.

We warmly invite the entire community to be part of this journey. Following its premiere at a St. Louis cultural venue (complete with a meet-and-greet and Q&A with the filmmakers and scholars), “The Ville: Legacy & Rebirth” will travel to libraries, schools, parks, and community centers across the region for facilitated screenings and conversation. The film will also be available through streaming platforms, public television, and educational networks. Our goal is to reach a minimum of 1,000 community members and spark dialogue that lasts long after the credits roll.

River Blues Community Development Organization is sponsoring this program in partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) and with support from the Missouri Humanities Trust Fund.

About River Blues Community Development Organization

River Blues Community Development Organization is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit devoted to neighborhood revitalization and community development. Drawing inspiration from the legacy of John Berry and Mary Meachum, who built a school on a boat in the Mississippi River to educate Black St. Louisans when Missouri law forbade it, and Captain Charlton Hunt Tandy, who organized relief for thousands of Exodusters arriving along the river, River Blues carries that same spirit of care and determination into the work of restoring and strengthening historically underserved communities in North St. Louis City.

About Missouri Humanities Council (MHC)

The Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) is the only statewide agency in Missouri devoted exclusively to humanities education for citizens of all ages. Since 1971, it has served as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, bringing the humanities to communities across Missouri through grants, programs, and public events. For more information about the MHC grants program, call 314/781-9660 or 800/357-0909 or email clarice@mohumanities.org.

Media Contact

Thomasina Clarke, Project Director | (314) 954-5738
4021 Laclede Avenue #8015 | St. Louis, MO 63108
letsconnect@riverblues.org

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