Urban Renewal in Ossining - Documentary Film Screening

“Commemorate: The Hidden Cost of Progress – Urban Renewal in Ossining”

Documentary Premiere & Community Q&A

Runtime: 30 minutes + live Q&A discussion

Join us for the premiere of “Commemorate: The Hidden Cost of Progress”, a compelling 30-minute documentary that centers the voices of Ossining’s Black community and uncovers the lasting impact of urban renewal, a policy that promised progress but delivered displacement and loss for many African American families.

This powerful film is the result of an initiative by Commemorate, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and uplifting Black histories. Originally envisioned as a multi-municipality project, the focus was narrowed to Ossining to deeply explore how urban renewal disproportionately affected Black residents, uprooting lives, dismantling neighborhoods, and erasing generational legacies under the guise of development.

Through the firsthand stories of community elders and former residents who lived it, this documentary amplifies the truth about a chapter of Ossining’s history that has too often been ignored or silenced. These are the stories that must be heard. This is more than a documentary, it’s a platform for truth, justice, and community healing. 

Following the screening, stay for a live Q&A featuring members of the Black community and project collaborators to engage in a candid conversation about the past, the present, and the power of reclaiming narrative.  Moderated by Village of Ossining Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole. This event is in partnership with the Ossining Public Library.

Come witness this moving tribute to resilience, resistance, and the right to be remembered.