Documentary Premiere
Since 2023, the Descendant Collective has focused on the making of a documentary about their formation, spearheaded by a donation from the Patrick M. and Rosalinda Raher Charitable Giving Fund. Award-winning filmmaker, Lorenzo Dickerson and Maupintown Media were selected as the production team for this endeavor. Fundraising became the priority with annual Black History Month fundraisers being initiated in 2024. The $99,500 fundraising goal was accomplished through these efforts, additional donations from the Raher Foundation and support from the Menokin Foundation Board of Trustees.
The documentary Thicker Than Water depicts the journey of descendants of enslaved people at Menokin reconnecting with their ancestral home against a backdrop of innovative preservation work at this National Historic Landmark. It will juxtapose the stories of those historically left out of the dominant narrative within the physical space that once held their labor and lives.
It is because of the Descendant Collective’s continued passion and support that this documentary is able to premiere on the land of their ancestors in 2026 on Descendants’ Day.
Photos courtesy of Cherlanda Sidney-Ross & Menokin staff.