‘It was a slap in the eye, it was an injustice to me’: Lennon Lacy’s story told at Cucalorus Festival

DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON (WWAY) — The Cucalorus Festival has been going on since last Wednesday. This is a time for hundreds of film makers to showcase their work.

Independent Film Maker and Producer Jacqueline Olive’s documentary entitled ‘Always in Season’ shined a light on racial violence and social injustices, such as lynchings.

Just five years ago, victim Lennon Lacy was found hanging on a swing set in Bladenboro. In 2016, the FBI closed his case, ruling it a suicide but his family will not accept that.

The film gave people a detailed story of Lennon and his family’s fight to justice.

“I began filming Always in Season ten years ago, or I began researching and developing it ten years ago, and started filming it in 2010.”

When Olive first learned about the disturbing news of Lacy, she knew it was only fair to include his story in her documentary.

“I really just wanted to tell the story in a way that people could understand who Lennon was, and understand the depth of the loss in that community for so many people beyond the family,” Olive stated.

An autopsy says he died from asphyxia due to hanging. The report shows no foul play. State and local investigators closed the case and ruled it a suicide in June 2016.

His mother, Claudia Lacy does not believe it was a thorough investigation.

“It was a slap in the eye, it was an injustice to me as a part of my social and my civic rights because there were things that they should have done that they didn’t do,” Lacy said.

Olive says she wanted her film to confront issues society has not fixed.

“It really speaks to structured issues and structured racism, and those are issues that still need to be confronted, that still need to be faced in Bladenboro, in North Carolina, in the U.S., if not globally,” Olive expressed.

Lacy says despite the lack of information from the FBI, her son’s story is a start.

“You can get power with numbers. You always support what you believe in, and always have an open mind about there is another step that you can take. And take it. Don’t be afraid,” Lacy said. “One person can make a difference.”

Olive says she plans on coming back to Wilmington where the film has been shown to have conversations about racial violence.

For those who have not seen Always in Season. It will air on PBS on February 24th.