Sewickley 'Their Story' documentary nears completion

| Back | Text Size:

https://triblive.com/local/sewickley/sewickley-their-story-documentary-nears-completion/

Sewickley 'Their Story' documentary nears completion

Triblive | Saturday, September 13, 2025 12:01 p.m.

Courtesy of John Poister

Pictured at the check presentation to the “Their Story” committee on the steps of Sewickley’s historic St. Matthew’s AME Zion Church are SVFC board member John Poister, “Their Story” committee co-chair Stratton Nash, project co-founder/funding coordinator Susan Kaminiski, “Their Story” committee co-chair Gwen Strickland and SVFC board member and Sewickley Mayor George Shannon.

Two years ago, the Sewickley Valley Community Fund awarded a major grant to support a committee formed to produce a documentary based on a book by longtime Sewickley resident Bettie Cole. Her book, “Their Story,” drew from more than 100 interviews with African-American residents, capturing their experiences of living and working in Sewickley and Edgeworth.

More than 20 years after its publication, Cole’s daughter, Gwen Strickland, launched an effort to reprint the out-of-print book and create a documentary inspired by it. She gathered members of the local African-American community, formed a committee and began collecting photos and video. With funds raised and a director hired, the project moved forward.

Now in post-production, “Their Story” is nearing completion and will soon premiere in Sewickley. To help with the final phase of editing and polishing, the SVCF board of directors voted this month to award another grant to support the documentary’s finishing.

Email Newsletters