My Ozarks Mini-Documentary Film Series

My Ozarks is a collection of short, intimate portraits of real people, places and experiences in The Ozarks. Our goal is to increase interest in The Ozarks and awareness of our shared history, to expand cultural and regenerative tourism in the region. In doing this, we can generate economic opportunities for artisans, entrepreneurs and cultural practitioners across the region, enabling them to earn a living without leaving the communities they love. If you would like to see more stories like these, please consider supporting our work with a charitable donation.

Season Two

Season Two of My Ozarks begins in Tipton, a town in Moniteau County in Central Missouri, with a population of less than 3,000 people. It is located near the northern edge of The Ozarks, where The Ozarks overlap with an area settled in the 19th Century by proslavery individuals migrating from North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1860, this area was home to 59% of Missouri’s enslaved people.

Episode 10: Mrs. Rowles

The first episode in the new season of My Ozarks introduces Mrs. Phyllis [Lacy] Rowles. As a young girl, she learned to keep climbing, to keep reaching for better things. She is one of the last living alumni of the Harrison “Colored” School in Tipton, which until 1957 was the only place recently emancipated people in Moniteau County and their descendants could go to school. Harrison School taught her that everyone is equal. You can be whoever you want to be. Find out how her life unfolded and what Mrs. Rowles is most proud of today.

A film by Meigan Alicia and Quinsonta Boyd. Produced by Jason Brasier and Tami Hale, in partnership with Opportunity 1888 Foundation. Major funding provided by Missouri Humanities and the Kemper Fund for Kansas and Missouri of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

catch up on stories from Season One…

My Ozarks: Season One