Production Spotlight: Charlotte Seven
What happens when lost history is uncovered?
Charlotte Seven, a documentary produced by Cowboy Collective, reveals the impact. Filmed verité style over four years, the film explores the rediscovery of long-overlooked African American history in Charlotte, particularly the hidden legacies of Black churches and burial grounds displaced by urban development.
For the past four years, Dr. Julia Robinson Moore, a preacher, peacebuilder, and advocate, has led a diverse team of architects, students, and historians on a powerful mission: to restore dignity to forgotten African American burial grounds in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Cowboy Collective, in collaboration with unRIVAL Network and director Billy Price had the honor of producing and filming a documentary that tells this important story. The film, Charlotte Seven, which premiered at the Justice Film Festival on February 11, was produced by Virginia Dees Boyd, with cinematography by Molly Brock and Greg Smith and editing by Molly Brock.
“The enslaved burial grounds are still there. They're still neglected and they are sort of hidden in plain sight.” - Dr. Julia Robinson Moore
As the director of the Preserving Sacred Spaces Initiative (PSSI) at UNC Charlotte, Dr. Moore provides substantive steps toward memorializing these historic sites, recognizing them as essential to understanding the complexities of Black and white race relations in the South.
Born from Dr. Moore’s research on the role of the Presbyterian Church in Charlotte’s racial history, PSSI goes beyond restoration, it fosters reconciliation. Filmed verité style over four years, this documentary captures the initiative’s evolution in real time, following the emotional and deeply personal journeys of those working to reclaim these sacred spaces. Through intimate storytelling and observational footage, Charlotte Seven reveals the profound impact of uncovering and confronting forgotten history.
To learn more about the Preserving Sacred Spaces Initiative and Dr. Moore’s impactful work, please visit Moore Grace Ministries.
Credits
Client: UnRival Network & Billy Price
Director: Billy Price & Dr. Julia Robinson Moore
Production: Virginia Dees-Boyd/Cowboy Collective
Associate Producer: Carey Kirk
Cinematography: Molly Brock
Cinematography: Greg Smith
Editor: Molly Brock
Gaffer: Adam Thomas
Sound: Andrew Smith & Micah Lorick
Art Department: Todd Spencer
Prop Assistant: Tim Owen
Production Assistant: Alex Farmer & Tim Weeks
