‘Jonesville: When Sunflowers Fall’ explains the history of an African American Community

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Residents and descendants are sharing the story of Jonesville and the impact this historic event had on the community.

“Jonesville: When Sunflowers Fall” explores the realities and costs of urban renewal.

Jonesville was taken in the 1960s, but the land was purchased by… in the late 1800s, before Western Kentucky State Normal School was established.

David Greer, a film producer, says, “If you look at where the e-a digital basketball arena sits, that was all. Once known as a thriving African-American community known as Jonesville.”

And Jonesville wasn’t the only well-established community where residents were pushed out.

Greer also says, “This is a story that impacts a lot of people who are not aware of it. I went to business school in university of Chicago, and what you find out is what happened to Jonesville, and what you find out is that what happened to Jonesville was a microcosm of something that was happening in the United States. From border to border and from coast to coast.”

While the outcome may be positive for hundreds of thousands of students who attend Western Kentucky University. People’s homes and lives were dismantled, but there’s so much more to the story.

If you’re interested in seeing the documentary, you can visit the Capitol Theatre on April 12.