‘Echoes from The Hill’ to Make Television Debut on PBS’ Frame of Mind Series Oct. 26, 2023

By Susan Schrock, Office of Communications

Posted on October 09, 2023, October 09, 2023

“Echoes from The Hill,” a compelling documentary explores what life was like for Black residents in a small Arlington community known as The Hill, will mark its television debut on KERA’s acclaimed program, Frame of Mind, this fall.

Now in its 31st year on the air, Frame of Mind features films about Texas, by Texans. Residents in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area can tune in to the first episode of the documentary, called “A Place of Our Own,” on KERA 13.1 Live Stream at 10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26. The 38-minute episode will also be aired on PBS stations across Texas starting in October and will be available for streaming at video.kera.org.

“For over three decades, Frame of Mind has delivered distinct Texas stories into the homes of North Texas from very talented Texas filmmakers,” says Bill Young, Vice President of Television Programming at KERA. “Several films in this year’s lineup speak to our present and future by giving a deep understanding into our past. We are extremely excited to be able to share this year’s series with a statewide audience throughout Texas.”

“Echoes from The Hill” is a planned five-part documentary that will focus on life in The Hill, the only historic addition platted specifically for Arlington’s African American residents. The first episode, “A Place of Our Own,” features photos, maps, documents and excerpts from interviews with Black residents and their descendants who lived in this community.

Interviews include the Rev. Carl Pointer, Bob Ray Sanders, Randy Parker, Bertha Jones, Geraldine Mills and Beverly Jackson on topics ranging from segregation to influential church and business leaders to the vibrant night life in The Hill. The film also features scholars Gene B. Preuss, Ph.D., and W. Marvin Dulaney, Ph.D., who explore African American life in North Texas after emancipation as well as the history of racial control that would evolve into Jim Crow laws. Click here to watch the trailer.

The Arlington Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, which sponsored the first episode, hosted a public screening of “A Place of Our Own” during the 2022 Arlington Juneteenth Jubilee. The episode was also featured during the 2023 Denton Black Film Festival.

King Hollis and Lindell Singleton directed the documentary. It was produced by Southroad Pictures, with associate producers Geraldine Mills, Anthony Cisneros and Shirley Adams and executive producers Lemuel Randolph, Lisa Thompson, Jennifer Wichmann, King Hollis and Lindell Singleton. The project was funded by the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation.

Frame of Mind will air Thursdays at 10 p.m. from Oct. 5 through Dec. 21. This season will showcase a diverse range of Texas filmmakers as they explore various aspects of rich Texan culture. The films highlight the joys of connecting with others, the distinctiveness of our vibrant heritage and provide viewers with a deeper understanding of the shared bonds and history of the state. Click here to visit the Frame of Mind website.

“For over 30 years, we have been showing the films of Texas filmmakers on Frame of Mind here in North Texas. We have shown the stories of joy, sorrow and the unique spirit of Texas, but only if you were in the footprint of KERA’s signal,” says Bart Weiss. “Now, the diverse stories of Texans, told by a diverse group of independent filmmakers, can be seen statewide. The films on Frame of Mind take us deeper into the stories of our neighbors, all done with unique styles and a Texas flair. Watch, and change your frame of mind.”