In a nod to a once-forgotten pioneering achievement, Dallas takes a plunge back into history with “Rise: The Hall of Negro Life,” a documentary commemorating the groundbreaking 1936 exhibition at the Texas Centennial World’s Fair. The original Hall of Negro Life stood as a trailblazer, celebrating the contributions and artistry of Black artists—an initiative that had the resilience of African-American leaders to thank for its existence, according to the City of Dallas.

Held at Fair Park, the exhibition not only spotlighted artists but also turned into a planning ground for civil rights titans like A. Maceo Smith, Eugene K. Jones, and Jesse O. Thomas, whose battle for voting rights was strategized within these walls. Despite its monumental role, the exhibition hall's tenure was short-lived, it was dismantled a mere year after it opened.

Fast forward, and this slice of Black culture and history is getting a second life on the small screen. The City of Dallas’ Office of Arts & Culture spearheaded the project as part of their Hall of Negro Life initiative. The documentary aired last Friday night on KERATV, inviting audiences to witness the rise and untimely fall of a significant landmark in the legacy of African-Americans in the United States.

Viewers tuned in to see murals and a plethora of artworks that once adorned the original Hall, pieces that celebrated the essence of Black culture. "The exhibition hall acknowledged and honored the history and accomplishments of African-Americans in the United States with a large collection of art by Black artists," as stated by the City of Dallas. With the broadcast of this documentary, Dallas pays homage to a part of its heritage that, until now, had receded into the shadows of history.