News viewers of KSLA, Gray’s CBS affiliate in Shreveport, La., who tuned into the 6 o’clock news on Feb. 28 didn’t see the typical hour-long newscast they would have seen on any other day.

That night, the station started with an abbreviated block of news and weather before going through the rest of the hour showing a documentary about Shreveport’s Black history.

But many viewers didn’t seem to mind.

The Domonique Benn referenced in the comments is KSLA’s morning anchor, who wrote, edited and directed the film.

The film, Don’t Stop, Just Keep Going: Shreveport’s Black History and What Comes Next, starts in the past and works its way forward to the current day.

The project was a labor of love for Benn. “I have always been fond of learning more about Black history, my history,” Benn says. “When I was a freshman in high school, you were lucky to find anything on Black history, maybe a little section peppered with the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Not much has changed. It would indeed take an entire history book to tell you about the significance of African American leaders, their innovations and contributions to America and our history.”

Don’t Stop, Just Keep Going shines a light on historical events that have rarely been told in the community over the years. Police on horseback entering a prominent black church and striking a pastor, a major boycott of a local record store and other important, community-shaping events are featured in the film, told from the perspective of the people who lived through them.

“I am so proud to work with excellent journalists who courageously share stories of our history that we simply cannot afford to leave in the past,” says Sacha Purciful, KSLA’s GM. “Congratulations to Domonique Benn and the entire team at KSLA on creating a powerful, moving documentary.”

“I am grateful that Gray Television and KSLA News 12 see value in educating and creating content for our viewers on Black history,” Benn says. “These are the stories that brought us to where we are today. They are Shreveport’s history. It may not be pretty, but it is our truth. I was given every possible resource available. We had state-of-the-art drone shots and some of the best working in the business, from photography to digital graphics. I believe it shows that representation matters to this company, and they backed this project 100%.”

The film was directed, edited and written by Domonique Benn. KSLA Chief Videographer Bubba Kneipp was director of photography. News Director Jayne Ruben served as executive producer. GM Purciful was executive in charge of production. Marketing Producer Mark Klein was graphics producer, drone photographer and led all marketing efforts.

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