Landscapes of Exclusion: State Parks and Jim Crow in the American South

Based on the award-winning book by William E. O’Brien, the LALH film underscores the profound inequality that persisted for decades in the number, size, and quality of state park spaces provided for Black visitors across the South. Even though it has largely faded from public awareness, the imprint of segregated design remains visible in many state parks.

Emphasizing the events leading to integration in the 1960s, “Landscapes of Exclusion” features commentary by author William E. O’Brien and the architect Arthur J. Clement, who attended a segregated state park as a child. Dramatic images and live footage bring this painful history into contemporary focus.

To learn more about the Library of American Landscape History and to purchase the book, please visit: https://lalh.org/books/featured/landscapes-exclusion/

To inquire about screenings, contact Sarah Allaback: sallaback@lalh.org

Executive Producer: Robin Karson
Director: Ian Forster
A Production of: Library of American Landscape History and Forster Films, Inc.
Based on the Book by: William E. O’Brien
Cinematography: Dominic Anaya, Andrew Colton, Marcus Guider, and Marc Levy
Editors: Ian Forster and Regina Spurlock
Narrator: Ashley Bryant
Sound: Larry Decarmine and Brooks Lester
Assistant Camera: Jeff Buckner and Andrew Johnson
Title Design and Graphics: Jason Drakeford
Music: Blue Dot Sessions
Colorist: Russell Yaffe
Sound Mix: Collin Blendell
Special Thanks: Arthur Clement, William E. O’Brien, Jonathan D. Lippincott, Ethan Carr, Carol Betsch, Lake Murray State Park / Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation, and Umstead State Park / North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation