Creating an accurate account of events that happened over 60 years ago is a pretty daunting task, and it's important that I get things right. I need your help. This story is still a sensitive issue for many people, partly because of the media circus around it at the time; they didn't necessarily put much thought into the effects it would have on the family members who were closely affected by it. Individuals who are a part of history-in-the-making typically do not choose to be. I appreciate all who have already participated, and I hope to speak with more. My goal is to make a documentary that is fair, honest and empathetic to all involved.

This project is a personal journey for me. I grew up in Richmond, Michigan, where Lonnie was living and had the White Eagle Hall for his Saturday Night Barn Dances. As I learned more about the story, and heard many different iterations of it, I felt this story left too much room for rumor to work its way in. The process of discovery in learning more about the people and events has been both challenging and rewarding. Working on this documentary is not my full time job, and the end result is not likely to be profitable either, but profit is not my motivation for telling this story. It is an opportunity to turn a "what could have been" past into a positive future, and possibly provide some closure for those still holding on to these memories.

To learn more about who I am as a filmmaker, visit the Cuttlefish Productions website.

-Mike Allore