The Wonderland Theater was a landmark of the Durham Hayti community in the 1920s, and its legacy lives on today.
Provident1898 of Durham is hosting a series of free film screenings to honor this theater and the heritage of the Hayti neighborhood — the historic Black community of Durham. The first film of the Wonderland Film Series is "Wilmington on Fire," a documentary about the Wilmington Massacre of 1898.
The series lasts through May, with screenings on the first Thursday of every month except in February. The first screening will be held on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Provident1898 space, located in the Tower at Mutual Plaza. Provident1898 is a co-working space designed to create opportunities for entrepreneurs and artists. Tickets are sold out, but walk-ins will be accepted if spaces become available.
The series was organized by a team at Provident1898 including Jasmine Bowles, director of operations and member engagement, and Carl Webb, co-founder of the organization.
“The film series really came out of a desire to tell the untold stories of success and accomplishment that happened within the Durham Hayti community,” Webb said. “We’ve seen so much transition happen in downtown Durham, and so many of the stories have just been lost to progress.”
One of these success stories is that of the Wonderland Theater. Webb said he wanted to acknowledge the resilience it took for this theater to succeed during the segregation of the 1920s.
“It can serve as an inspiration for the next generation to see how much can be done with such small resources during very, very challenging times,” Webb said.
Not all the film choices have been finalized yet, but they will all tap into the theme of undiscovered narratives, Bowles said. The team at Provident1898 is passionate about honoring the untold story of the Wonderland Theater. Bowles said she hopes each individual film illustrates a similar storytelling determination.
“The filmmaker has a direct passion and fire to tell that individual story, for whatever reason that is,” she said.
