Beacon’s Cookout this year was complimented this year by a round of Beacon Hoops games that had been rescheduled due to rainfall earlier in the week. As the final teams let out at 1pm, the cheeseburgers and hotdogs were announced to be ready at the DJ booth, followed by an official welcome and call for Beacon’s Black voices to come forward to share their experiences living in Beacon, and their Black histories in Beacon.

“When The Smoke Cleared: What Was Lost In Beacon’s Revival” is a documentary research project about growing up in Beacon, NY and what life in Beacon is like today. The group is seeking individuals between the ages of 18-108 to share their stories, memories and experiences. Email admin@beaconblackvoices.com with interest.

What They Want To Hear About

The filmmakers want to hear about:

Historic Black Beacon
Jim Crow Era
West End Community
Factories and Industrial Life
Urban Renewal
Environmental Conditions
The Closing of Factories
9/11 and COVID-19 Impacts
Gentrification and Change
Heroes Who Built Beacon
Survival, Struggles and Hopes for the Future

Interview Information

Interviews will last between 30-60 minutes. Format can be in various formats including face-to-face, video conferencing, or phone interviews. Interviewees must have lived in or grown up in Beacon. No compensation for participation.

Say the organizers: “The documentary will preserve the voices of generations of African Americans who helped build Beacon and honor the truth of our past, present and future.”