A new documentary, “Buried History: Finding Our Past,” will be presented by Warren Bell at 7 p.m., Monday, April 22, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

This event is free of charge and is open to the public. There is no registration.

Veteran journalist Warren Bell will discuss his new documentary, “Buried History: Finding Our Past,” which premiered on WYES-TV on February 14. It takes viewers on his journey through unknown parts of his own family history, and lesser known (but important) aspects of New Orleans’ unique Black history, after taking over a neglected family tomb at the historic St. Louis Cemetery II.

“Buried History” introduces viewers to others reconnecting to their own family stories at the neglected 200-year-old site rich in history but closed to the public since the COVID pandemic. Experts showcase resources available to anybody who wants to start their own family research, which often begins with finding out where loved ones are buried or searching notarial records.

Bell is an award-winning broadcast journalist and media professional, higher education consultant, and on-camera and voice-over talent. He wrote, produced and narrated the half-hour documentary, and he also shot most of the cemetery footage. Emmy-award winning director and editor David M. Jones worked closely with him to create the finished project.

As part of his discussion of “Buried History,” Bell will show a special 10-minute video he made focusing on the cemetery itself and complementing the TV documentary. Says Warren, “My message is simple: the time to start asking questions of your elders is right now before they join the ancestors, lest you lose critical knowledge of how and why your own family (and yourself) got here.”

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at (504) 889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.