County Executive Meyer screens New Castle County doc 'Restless Gound'

New Castle County Executive and Governor-elect Matt Meyer hosted the premiere of " Restless Ground: The Untold Story of Mt. Olive ," at the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center's Black Box Theatre to an audience of about 100 people on Wednesday night, December 11, 2024. The documentary short explores the history of the Mt. Olive Cemetery, the impact of institutional racism on those interred there and New Castle County's efforts, in partnership with the Mother African Union Church and Trust for Public Land, to bring justice and dignity to the community. The premiere screening was followed by a panel discussion with key individuals featured in the documentary and those behind the work to restore the cemetery.

"It's no secret that there are some in this country and in our state that would like to sweep away the bad, and the ugly, and the injustices of the past," Governor-elect Meyer said. "With this documentary and our commitment to this restoration project, we're making sure that our true history is known so we can learn from it and never repeat the mistakes of the past."

The documentary was produced in partnership between New Castle County and 1440 Film Company, a Wilmington-based full-service video production operation. The company was founded in 2019 by Mike Pfeifer and works with a variety of corporate and public clients to tell compelling stories up and down the East Coast.

"It was truly an honor to shine a light on Mt. Olive, The Mother Africa Union Church, and remarkable individuals like Mr. Bill Jones," 1440 Film Company Owner Mike Pfeifer said. "This project would not have been possible without our incredible crew and our Director, Kyra Knox, who pours her heart into everything she does, and the team at New Castle County who not only provided the funding for this documentary but is also doing the work to bring the story to life."

1440 was selected through a competitive bidding process that began in the Spring of 2024 and included proposals from production companies in Delaware, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Production began in July under the supervision of New Castle County Digital Media Director Kyle Grantham, who produced New Castle County's Mid-Atlantic Emmy-winning documentary on The Hope Center, " The Pathway Home ," and the county's documentary on the history and preservation of the Hockessin Colored School, " Return to Hockessin Colored School No. 107C ," which premiered this summer.

"I'm so grateful to everyone we've interviewed for opening up their lives and sharing their experiences with us," Grantham said. "These stories are powerful and I'm thankful County Executive Meyer has committed to giving them a platform and ensuring their preservation for future generations."

Members of the public can now stream "Restless Ground: The Untold Story of Mt. Olive" on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MROomyzXrr0