Faculty Feature: Shawn O. Utsey, Ph.D.

Shawn O. Utsey, Ph.D., chair of African American studies and associate professor of psychology

A documentary produced by Utsey, chair of African American studies, director of the Institute for African American Health Research and associate professor of psychology, is a finalist in the Virginia Independent Film Festival.

“Meet Me in the Bottom: The Struggle to Reclaim Richmond’s African Burial Ground” will be shown along with two other documentary finalists, beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St. The cost to view all three documentary finalists is $5.The Burial Ground for Negroes was used from about 1750 to 1816 and is located north of Broad Street, between 15th and 16th streets, and is the oldest municipal cemetery for enslaved and free blacks known to exist in the Richmond area. The documentary examines community efforts to reclaim the burial ground.

Utsey worked with VCU alumni Jennida Chase and Shanika Smiley on the project, which took more than a year to complete.