Below Baldwin: How an Expansion Project Unearthed a University's Legacy of Slavery

On November 17, 2015, construction on Baldwin Hall on the University of Georgia campus came to a halt when workers uncovered human remains on the site. DNA tests revealed what many local residents already knew to be true: these were the remains of formerly enslaved people. This uncovering and the events that followed have forced the often-omitted histories of slavery and segregation to rise to the surface, both at the University of Georgia and in Athens. “Below Baldwin”, featuring Fred Smith, Linda Davis, Alvin Sheats, Linda Lloyd, Mariah Parker, Broderick Flanigan, and others, chronicles the series of events between November 2015 and December 2019. But more than that - this documentary showcases a community’s persistent efforts to connect to its past and to win recognition and redress – for both past and present injustices.

Directed by Joe Lavine, Below Baldwin: How an Expansion Project Unearthed a University's Legacy of Slavery leans on a strong ensemble — Broderick Flanigan, Fred Smith Sr., Linda E. Davis — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2019.