Summer Headstones

This documentary explores the urban decay of municipal swimming pools in the Southern United States, due to their closure and abandonment by white officials after desegregation was instituted in America.

Forced into allowing African American families into these public pools, Southern officials chose instead to not allow anyone to swim in the hot summer months. Seeing no other alternative, they simply closed the doors and drained the water.

These pools were then either paved over, buried and forgotten or they were left to rot in the southern sun, the vegetation taking over and serving as stark reminders of the race relations in the South.

Summer Headstones examines this period in American history by interviewing the people who experienced it first hand and by viewing the history of these sites through traditional and experimental film techniques.

My hope through this project is that by showcasing these lost monuments to racism and hearing from the people who that real conversations about race relations can be had
The frightening thing is that while these pools were closed near desegregation, this issue is still relevant today.