*A passion to uncover family history is in the blood for Chris Haley.
The actor, writer, filmmaker and director of the “Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland” is the nephew of Alex Haley, whose own genealogical curiosity resulted in the epic novel and TV mini-series “Roots.”
Chris Haley’s grandmother, Zeona Haley, once gave him a book called “A Pictorial History of the Negro in America.” According to the Baltimore Times, it sparked his quest to journey along the same path as Uncle Alex. Nearly 30 years ago, Chris began visiting places where his mother’s ancestors were buried in Georgia. He remarked that looking at the places where they were laid to rest brought them back to life, in a way.
That trip led to his co-production of “Unmarked,” a new film which draws attention to unmarked cemeteries or unmarked final resting places of free and formerly enslaved African Americans. In a similar way to his maternal lineage, Chris says that locating the graves, and creating the film, helps bring people who were overlooked, back to life. Preserving the areas helps to reinforce valuing the fact that they lived, mattered and are no longer forgotten.
Watch the trailer below:
On April 27, 2021, viewers can begin renting or purchasing the 40-minute film on iTunes, Amazon and AppleTV. “Unmarked” has screened virtually at several film festivals, including the Pan African Film Festival. It is being shown at the Annapolis Festival, until April 18, 2021.
To learn more about the film, visit https://www.unmarkedfilm.com/ .
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
