Now Streaming: "Echoes from The Hill: A Place of Our Own"

Published on February 17, 2026

Editor's Note: As Arlington celebrates its sesquicentennial throughout 2026, we are sharing stories about the people, places and moments that made The American Dream City what it is today.

By Office of Communication

The first episode of “Echoes from The Hill,” a compelling documentary explores what life was like for Black residents in a small Arlington community known as The Hill, is now available to view on the City of Arlington’s social media channels. The video invites residents and visitors alike to honor the past while paving the future.

Released during Black History Month and in the midst of Arlington’s 150th anniversary celebration, the documentary shines a light on an often-overlooked chapter of the city’s story. Through personal narratives and historical context, “Echoes from The Hill” preserves the legacy of resilience, culture and community that helped shape Arlington into The American Dream City.

“Echoes from The Hill” is a planned five-part documentary that will focus on life in The Hill, the only historic addition platted specifically for Arlington’s African American residents. The first episode, “A Place of Our Own,” features photos, maps, documents and excerpts from interviews with Black residents and their descendants who lived in this community.

Interviews include the Rev. Carl Pointer, Bob Ray Sanders, Randy Parker, Bertha Jones, Geraldine Mills and Beverly Jackson on topics ranging from segregation to influential church and business leaders to the vibrant night life in The Hill. The film also features scholars Gene B. Preuss, Ph.D., and W. Marvin Dulaney, Ph.D., who explore African American life in North Texas after emancipation as well as the history of racial control that would evolve into Jim Crow laws.

The Arlington Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, which sponsored the first episode, hosted a public screening of “A Place of Our Own” during the 2022 Arlington Juneteenth Jubilee. The episode was also featured during the 2023 Denton Black Film Festival and on the PBS television program Frame of Mind in 2024.

Visit Arlington150.com for more historical articles, photos and events planned throughout 2026.