Baltimore’s series “Lady in the Lake” highlights two tragic deaths

By D. Kevin McNeir

In the new series “Lady in the Lake,” now streaming on Apple TV+, fact and fiction collide.

The dramatic criminal case takes another look at two deaths that occurred in the city of Baltimore and kept its residents on tenterhooks many years ago.

Shirley Parker was only 33 years old when she disappeared on April 23, 1969. The details of her death are still unclear, but one thing is certain: on June 2, 1969, her body was discovered in the well of Druid Hill Park Lake. Months later, another case – that of Esther Lebowitz – attracted even more attention. The young girl, who was only 11 at the time of her brutal death, was found dead in West Baltimore just days after her disappearance in September.

While the new series “Lady in the Lake” examines both cases equally, years ago only one case – that of Lebowitz – was worthy of the attention of the larger, established media of the time. For Parker, the Baltimore AFROC was the only publication interested in her life, her missing person status, and ultimately her death. For months, the publication kept her name in the headlines, deploying reporters and photographers to speak to witnesses and explore areas of interest.

Now the publication’s current editor and CEO, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, speaks out about the show and its impact on women in the workplace and the difficulties they face in pursuing their dreams.

The publisher traveled to Washington, DC on August 7 to participate in a panel organized by Baltimore-based agency ONE/35 and Apple TV+. The event included a cocktail reception followed by clips from the series and a moderated panel discussion about the show at The Gathering Spot in northwest Washington, DC

The discussion included radio host Persia Nicole, who moderated the event, Dr. Vonnya Pettigrew, CEO and founder of Baltimore-based Root Branch Media Group, and Draper, with the latter two serving as panelists.

During the discussion, and with “Lady in the Lake” as a backdrop, the three women discussed differences and similarities between the challenges women faced in the 1960s, the era of the series, and the issues today. They also talked about the gap between the number of obstacles and the number of opportunities women of color have compared to their white counterparts.

The conversation was crucial to the analysis of the series, which follows Maddie Schwartz, a Jewish reporter played by Natalie Portman, as she tries to bring white attention to the death of a black woman whose case is largely overshadowed by the news of a missing Jewish child. Schwartz must face a number of obstacles – first, because she is a woman, and second, because as a hard-news reporter in a hostile, white-male-run newsroom, she is out of place as she seeks answers and recognition.

“In the 1960s, women had very few options. As we see in ‘Lady in the Lake,’ they could either stay home and be a housewife or abandon their children and pursue their own dreams. But they couldn’t be an entrepreneur and a mother at the same time,” Pettigrew said. “Before Congress passed the Fair Credit Act over 50 years ago, as a woman I couldn’t have bought land on the Baltimore waterfront or been an independent entrepreneur.”

Draper spoke to female role models of excellence in newswriting within her own family.

“I was raised by strong women who saw the world through a lens that was not how the majority of women of color saw it,” Draper said. “Fortunately, my grandfather raised his five daughters to be independent on their own merits and strengths, regardless of their gender.”

Pettigrew, who recently broke new ground by purchasing a 15,000-square-foot production facility on Baltimore’s waterfront, said technology has been critical to her success as a woman in the media industry because she now has the opportunity to do things on her own terms.

“As a businesswoman in the digital age, I am what defines independent media, and thanks to advances in technology, I am able to deliver content on a much larger scale,” Pettigrew said. “When I work with youth, I emphasize that Black people move beyond being just content consumers to broadening their horizons as content creators so that we control the narrative – our narrative.”

Draper agreed.

“The key to survival today is innovation,” said Draper. “The AFROC is no longer a newspaper – we are a media organization. And it’s about more than just using and mastering the latest technology – it’s about changing the way we think. We all know AI is there, but it can’t capture the essence of the black community. It can’t tell our stories the way we do.”

In addition to the evolution in today’s style of storytelling, Draper also commented on the power of the black community – which is on full display in the series.

“Contrary to what many believe, black people are not a monolith – and yet we are a community,” she said, adding with a giggle, “And if you’re wrong, we’ll still call you out.”

“When I was growing up, it didn’t matter what profession you had – minister, teacher, city worker – we all lived and stayed in the same community,” Draper continued. “That was our strength. We knew each other and trusted each other.”

Stories like that of Shirley Parker are documented, which made the series “Lady in the Lake” possible decades later – thanks to the hard work of the AFROC Journalists, Photographers and Editors of the Year 1969. Draper said it is the community that keeps the publication going and ensures that more black stories are recorded.

“We need to support Black media – not just Black media personalities,” Draper said. “We are companies that provide essential services to our own communities, and we need your support so we can continue this centuries-old commitment.”