The Film

Independent documentary filmmaker Bruce Nelson has been creating historical works focusing on other folks and subjects. His work has never been about himself, however after learning about the horrible act of violence against his grand-aunt Laura Nelson and her 12-year-old son, Lawrence Nelson in 1911 in Okemah, Oklahoma. He is now turning the focus on his personal story. Nelson is taking a journey that will take him to Birmingham, Alabama, Boley, Tulsa, & Okemah Oklahoma and New York. As he will visit his newly discovered relatives, Nelson will walk around the location of the very site of the horrifying act to discover the roots of this violent act perpetrated on his aunt Laura Nelson, her 12-year-old son L.D. Nelson and what happened to her one-year-old baby. Also, what of Uncle Austin Nelson?

Documentary Impact Campaign
Indigo Cultural Center will partner with the Laura & LD Nelson Foundation to host a series of screenings and discussions to further the impact of the film. With the help of your tax deductible donation our partnership, we will:

• Expose the history of violence against Black women & women of color, focusing on the lynching of Laura Nelson as a legacy of brutal violence perpetrated by law enforcement in America.
• Highlight the disparity in attention and outrage between the killings of Black boys and men versus Black women & women of color and girls who are victims of police violence.
• Emphasize the gendered nature of racial justice movements, where male victims gain widespread recognition while their female counterparts are often forgotten.
Conclusions:
• The documentary aims to shed light on the hypocrisy of white America by showcasing the exclusion of the timeline of violence against Black women & women of color in the social justice narrative of America's history.
• It highlights the need for a more inclusive approach to social justice movements that recognizes and addresses the unique experiences and challenges faced by Black women & women of color and girls.
Outcomes:
• Raise awareness and challenge societal perceptions by exposing the underreported violence against Black women and the lack of attention given to their stories.
• Spark conversations and discussions on the intersectionality of race and gender in the context of violence and discrimination, fostering a deeper understanding of the issue.
• Mobilize support for solutions and inspire a global movement that demands justice, policy reform, and systemic change for the protection and empowerment of Black women and girls, similar to the global response to the death of George Floyd.

Filming Locations

Your donations will be used to cover expenses, i.e., hotel rooms and board, airfare, crew salary, location fees, permits, and insurance for a small crew to travel to Birmingham, Alabama to the Lynching Museum for three days of shooting and editing. We will hire two local crew members for the shoot. Thank you in advance for your support for this passion project.

Wellston, OK, hometown of Bruce's newly discovered cousin Shirley

Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City

Boley, OK Okemah, OK

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Okemah Green Leaf Cemetery, where we believe Aunt Laura Nelson is buried

McAlester State Prison, where Uncle Austin Nelson was imprisoned

Bruce Nelson----Producer/Director

Bruce decided he would employ his storytelling experience to shed light on this often-overlooked dark chapter in American history. Nelsons’ award-winning documentary short Gospel Radio Man will roll out on national PBS in the fall of 2023. He won a Telly Award for his first short film, Tales of Tobacco. His film Raglin Tales was an official selection of the Arizona Black Film Showcase, Phoenix Film Festival, San Francisco Black Film Festival, Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival and Rhode Island International Film Festival. Raglin Tales was awarded Special Mention at the I-Filmmaker International Film Festival (Marbella, Spain). Bruce’s’ feature-length documentary North Town was an official selection of the Jerome Independent Film & Music Festival, the American Online Film Awards Festival and The Sir Charles Darwin Film Festival (UK) TruDocumentary Film Festival 2016, and Docs Without Borders Film Festival 2016 (Exceptional Merit award winner). North Town.

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The Laura and LD Nelson Foundation

MISSION: We are committed to keeping the wrongful lynching of Laura and her son, L.D. Nelson, in the hearts and minds of people everywhere by supporting powerful artistic expressions—such as documentaries, films, exhibits, books, plays, and workshops—that honor their truth, resilience, and legacy while inspiring courageous leadership and advancing social change.

VISION: The Laura & L.D. Nelson Foundation operates at the intersection of historical preservation, social justice, and community empowerment. Our cause area encompasses historical accountability and education, with a specific focus on preserving the story of the wrongful lynching of Laura Nelson and her son L.D. Nelson in 1911. We work to ensure this tragic piece of American history remains central to historical discourse while simultaneously addressing its contemporary implications for racial equity and social justice.

Support-Laura & LD Nelson Foundation Doc: LOOKING FOR LAURA NELSON

Unraveling a shocking tale of glory, tragedy, and joy.