In Holly Springs, Mississippi, community interpreters use historic spaces, material culture, and living traditions to reclaim the stories, skills, and contributions of enslaved Africans, preserving the evidence of their existence for generations to come.
Evidence of Our Existence is a short documentary about what changes when we tell the history of slavery from behind the big house. Set in Holly Springs, Mississippi, the film follows community interpreters who are working to preserve the spaces, stories, skills, and cultural knowledge of enslaved Africans whose lives and contributions have too often been left out of the historical record.
Through historic slave dwellings, material culture, foodways, brickmaking, craft, and other forms of interpretation, the film reveals the expertise required to build and sustain the homes, communities, and culture of the American South. These spaces become more than reminders of oppression. They are physical evidence that enslaved people were here, that they possessed knowledge and skills, and that their contributions continue to shape American life.
Evidence of Our Existence asks audiences to consider whose perspective shapes the way we understand slavery and what is lost when these places and stories disappear. At its heart, the film is about preservation, truth-telling, and the power of communities to reclaim histories that have long been overlooked or denied.
Support the Work
Evidence of Our Existence highlights the work of Behind the Big House, a public history program of the Rosa Foundation that centers the stories, skills, and contributions of enslaved Africans. If you’d like to support this important work, please consider making a donation to help sustain the program and its mission of education, preservation, and community engagement.
Meet the Interpreters in the Documentary
Creative Team
Castel V. Sweet, PhD
Producer & Director
Castel Sweet is a community builder, embedded sociologist, and documentary filmmaker whose work lives at the intersection of race, place, and collective memory. As founder of Sweet Soil Narratives, she uses storytelling to preserve cultural memory, honor ancestral wisdom, and amplify stories often left out of the historical record. Her work explores the ways memory and place can be used to build bridges between the past and present toward a more just and liberated future. A native of Memphis, Tennessee and based in Mississippi. Her background in community engagement informs a filmmaking approach that is grounded in relational practice and collaboration with communities. With Sites of Memory, Castel brings together her commitments to storytelling, justice, and community care, inviting viewers into a shared journey of truth-telling, healing, and reimagining.
Antonio Tarrell
Producer
Antonio Tarrell is a filmmaker hailing from Bruce, Mississippi, whose expansive skill set spans producing, directing, and cinematography. Known for his ability to craft visually captivating images that advance narratives and resonate deeply with audiences, Tarrell has a unique talent for creating films that impact viewers on a subconscious level. His dedication to storytelling is evident in his varied body of work, which includes feature films, documentaries, and commercials. Tarrell’s films often explore themes of justice, memory, and social change, aiming to provoke thought and inspire action. Antonio Tarrell Films, under his guidance, has also made significant contributions to television, working with major networks on productions. Each project showcases Tarrell’s flair for engaging with complex topics through powerful visual storytelling, establishing him as a prominent voice in contemporary filmmaking.
Partners & Supporters
