Nevada Film Series – A Black Springs Homecoming: Finding History
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April 20 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Nevada Film Series
April 20, 2024
1:00 to 2:30pm
A Black Springs Homecoming: Finding History Documentary Film and Panel Discussion
Summary of Program
This short documentary film was produced by Nevada Humanities and directed by Tsanavi Spoonhunter and tells the story of Black Springs—a small, historically African American neighborhood six miles north of downtown Reno, Nevada—and the ability of its residents to establish an enduring sense of community in the face of widespread racial discrimination and economic hardship.
Current and former residents of Black Springs recall how the community worked together in the 1960’s and 1970’s to secure their own volunteer fire department, reliable water service, a community center and park, and to purchase homes for Black families against seemingly insurmountable odds. Together with community partners, they describe ongoing efforts to strengthen the neighborhood’s identity while preserving the story of Black Springs for future generations.
Support for this program comes from Nevada Humanities, PBS Reno, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, and the City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission. For more information about A Black Springs Homecoming: Finding History visit nevadahumanities.org.
The 27-minute film will screen at 1:00 pm, followed by a conversation and Q+A with historians Demetrice Dalton and Alicia Barber, moderated by Stephanie Gibson. Select archival materials from the Black Springs will be available to view after the program.
Make sure to arrive early as we have limited seating (50 seats) available in our Event Space. Don’t forget, we provide free, temporary parking permits to make it easier to visit NHS!
About the Director
As an Indigenous reporter and filmmaker, Tsanavi Spoonhunter pursues the highest levels of accuracy and ethical standards when directing and producing stories about communities across the United States and abroad. Tsanavi is a Northern Arapaho and Northern Paiute nonfiction film director, producer and writer based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, Berkeley, with a documentary film concentration. Spoonhunter is a 2022-2024 Firelight Media Documentary Lab fellow and Woodstock Film Festival resident.
Awards
Best Documentary at the 2023 Jubilee Film Festival, Little Rock, Arkansas
Best Short Documentary Film at the 2023 Nevada Women’s Film Festival, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Best Nevada Doc at the Cordillera International Film Festival, Reno-Tahoe, Nevada.
Festivals
Jubilee Film Festival, Little Rock, Arkansas. June 16, 2023
Nevada Women’s Film Festival, Las Vegas, Nevada. July 22-25, 2023
Cordillera International Film Festival, Reno-Tahoe, Nevada. July 27-31, 2023
