America's Only 'All Black City'
AGAINST ALL THE ODDS tells the story, past and present, of East St Louis, Illinois, an historically rich city where the African-American population courageously survived some of America’s most gruesome historical events. Events that ultimately led to the birth of the only 'All Black City' in America.
Painstakingly researched by filmmaker Sandra Pfeifer over a six year period, AGAINST ALL THE ODDS uses candid interviews, striking imagery and rarely seen archival footage taken after the 1917 East St Louis Race Riot, along with traditional jazz and blues recordings to give the viewer a unique cultural and historical perspective of this remarkable and haunting city. Today, East St Louis struggles to survive it’s urban decline, yet despite the hopelessness the outside world sees, East St Louisans continue to work non-stop to rebuild their city and bring hope to the community.
Trailer
