During the coronavirus pandemic, graduate student and intern Obed Lamy shot and directed this 22-minute video documentary revealing the stories of three Black men lynched in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1856. This project was produced in partnership with the Washington County Community Remembrance Project.
Once Forgotten is a short historical documentary telling the story of three enslaved men, Anthony, Aaron, and Randall, lynched in summer 1856 by the State of Arkansas and a lynch mob. They were accused of killing a white slave owner. Just one side of their story has been told by the white family over successive generations.
An oral account of the events preserved in the Black community helps bring out the truth and honor their memories. The documentary seeks to bring to light this new version of the story while exploring the legacy of racial violence in America.
| Director: Obed Lamy
| Executive Producer: Niketa Reed
| Producers: Colleen Thurston & Sarah K. Moore
View the full-length documentary:
Watch the Pryor Center Presents event on Once Forgotten featuring a panel discussion with Obed Lamy, Margaret Holcomb, RoAnne Elliott, Dr. Niketa Reed, and Dr. Valandra. Find the replay here on the Pryor Center events page.
About the filmmaker
Obed Lamy is a journalist and documentary filmmaker whose work has screened at numerous film festivals. His first documentary, A Promising Voice, explores a Black student’s journey navigating a predominantly white college campus. His most recent documentary, Once Forgotten, won the Best Emerging Filmmaker award at the Fayetteville Film Fest and an EMMY from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Student Production Awards.
Obed was born and raised in Petit-Goâve, Haiti. He is currently living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where you could see him riding his bike or talking to random strangers.