The Woman in the Iron Coffin, PBS Offering Free Screening at Alexandria Lyceum

By
Mary Wadland
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The Alexandria Black History Museum presents a free screening of the PBS documentary followed by a lecture by Dr. Douglas Owsley of the Smithsonian Institution. This event is free and open to the public. (Image: You Tube)

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Construction workers discovered the body of a 19th century African American woman in an iron coffin in Queens, New York. This documentary follows forensic archaeologist Scott Warnasch and a team of historians and scientists as they investigate this woman’s story and the time in which she lived, revealing a vivid picture of what life was like for free African American people in the North.

The Alexandria Black History Museum presents a free screening of the PBS documentary followed by a lecture by Dr. Douglas Owsley of the Smithsonian Institution. This event is free and open to the public.

Join Dr. Douglas Owsley, Division Head of Physical Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, as he discusses his work and puts the documentary in context.

A PBS documentary reveals the identity — and an artist’s digitally created image — or the woman whose well-preserved body was found in a metal coffin in Queens seven years ago. (Courtesy image)

Dr. Owsley is considered one of the foremost forensic anthropologists at work today. He has identified remains from news-making crime scenes, mass disasters, and war zones. Owsley received his B.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Wyoming and his Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology from the University of Tennessee. He is fascinated with the wealth of information that can be recovered by studying the human skeleton – not just the cause of death, but also details about the life of a person. In addition to forensic casework, he conducts extensive research on historic and prehistoric populations from North America.

This event is Free! Seats are limited, please reserve a seat by calling 703.746.4356.

Saturday, May 4, 2019

2:00 p.m.

Alexandria’s History Museum at The Lyceum 201 S Washington Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

703.746.4994

 The Lyceum is located near the King Street Metro Station on the Yellow and Blue Lines. Limited on-site parking available. Street and garage parking nearby.

 The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended. To request a reasonable accommodation, e-mail black.history@alexandriava.gov, or call 703.746.4356, Virginia Relay 711.

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