The Quiet Keeper: Black Librarians and the Quiet Power of Preservation
Cassandra Hawkins

The Quiet Keeper is a short documentary film which explores the life of Ms. Jean Greene, a Black woman librarian in Mississippi, and reveals the quiet power of safeguarding histories and narratives, nurturing and creating community, preserving and amplifying memory. This film brings to light the unique labor of librarians that often goes unnoticed and honors librarianship as a form of love and legacy. Themes of race, memory, and the value of preserving history in Southern Black communities, especially those in rural areas, help to remind us of the importance of preserving history for future generations.


Being a Southern African American woman, I am deeply invested in the racial, socio-economic, and educational landscapes within the South. I want to use my academic knowledge and work experiences to tell untold stories and create awareness that leads to long-lasting and impactful change within the region. I am fully dedicated to capturing and preserving lived experiences and cultural histories through mixed media, photography, and video. Combining my gaze with personal and historical insights, I strive to highlight perspectives that enlighten, educate, and enrich others by telling stories using archival materials, like photos, letters, and journals, mixed media art, photography, and film. My ultimate mission is to create compelling visual narratives that connect the past to the present, evoke emotions, and inspire personal reflection. I truly believe in the power of visual stories to bridge the past with the present. I understand the significance of illuminating the intricate tapestry of human experiences through the lens of documentary artistry. Each moment captured tells the stories we carry within us.