Buckskin

Carroll B. Williams Jr. (1929-2024) was the first African American to receive a doctorate in forestry and entomology, the first African American scientist to be hired by the U.S. Forest Service, and among the first African Americans to be a part of the environmental science and forestry faculties at both Yale and UC Berkeley. Featuring stunning 16-mm cinematography, this experimental documentary explores the life and legacy of a groundbreaking scientist through intimate conversation with his daughter and grandchild. The film engages questions around personal and collective memory, the human/nature divide, the ongoing impact of settler colonialism in the Americas, and the possibilities and limitations of an individual human life in effecting social change. At times, Buckskin is grand in its scope, envisioning how white supremacy has shaped human societies and natural environments alike over nearly a century. At other times, the film is deeply personal: a moving portrait of a fascinating and exceptional person told from the perspective of a loving and curious grandchild.