Brandi Kellam
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🏆Emmy award-winning journalist and film director | ✍🏾: @ProPublica @CBSNews @MSNBC @Essence | 🎓: @UNC @NewhouseSU 🐘: #DST1913 ✉️: brandi@brandikellam.com
Articles by Brandi Kellam
State budget extends Virginia higher education displacement commission funding for two years Original
Funding approved by Virginia lawmakers in the new state budget paves the way for two more years of work by a commission studying Black communities’ past displacement by Virginia colleges and universities and potential forms of redress. While final figures have not been determined, the commission — the only of its kind in the state — could receive more than $300,000 over the biennium. That would mark the commission’s largest funding allocation to date.
Virginia’s probe into public universities’ displacement of Black neighborhoods no longer theoretical Original
Virginia’s examination of its buried history of university expansion into Black neighborhoods is entering new territory — one that may test how well research efforts translate to accountability. State probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward with infusion of funds Virginia’s examination of its buried history of university expansion into Black neighborhoods is entering new territory — one that may test how well research efforts translate to accountability.
Virginia probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward Original
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Virginia probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward
This story first appeared on the Virginia Mercury. As more states reckon with the history of Black land loss, the Virginia General Assembly has been taking a rare, state-sanctioned approach: formally examining how the creation or expansion of public university campuses has displaced Black communities. A 19-member legislative commission met last month, its first convening since a mandatory hiatus during the 2025 legislative session was lifted.
State probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward with infusion of funds
As more states reckon with the history of Black land loss, the Virginia General Assembly has been taking a rare, state-sanctioned approach: formally examining how the creation or expansion of public university campuses has displaced Black communities. kAmp `h\>6>36C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^DEF5:6D]G:C8:?:286?6C2=2DD6>3=J]8@G^DEF5:6D^fa_Qm=68:D=2E:G6 4@>>:DD:@?k^2m >6E =2DE >@?E9[ :ED 7:CDE 4@?G6?:?8 D:?46 2 >2?52E@CJ 9:2EFD 5FC:?8 E96 a_ad =68:D=2E:G6 D6DD:@? H2D =:7E65] t?24E65 =2DE J62C[ E96 4@>>:DD:@?
State probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward with infusion of funds Original
As more states reckon with the history of Black land loss, the Virginia General Assembly has been taking a rare, state-sanctioned approach: formally examining how the creation or expansion of public university campuses has displaced Black communities. A 19-member legislative commission met last month, its first convening since a mandatory hiatus during the 2025 legislative session was lifted. Enacted last year, the commission received an additional $200,000 in the state budget signed by Gov.
“Uprooted”: What a Black Community Lost When a Virginia University Grew
Skip to main content Close Close Creative Commons Donate Email Add Email Facebook Instagram Mastodon Facebook Messenger Mobile Podcast Print ProPublica Search Secure WhatsApp YouTube “Uprooted”: What a Black Community Lost When a Virginia University Grew This short documentary reveals a Black community’s decadeslong battle to hold onto its land as officials in Newport News, Virginia, used eminent domain to establish and expand Christopher Newport University.
How Christopher Newport University Displaced Black Residents
In April 2021, I was searching for a local journalism story tied to racial inequality, inspired by my experience covering the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis the year before. With the support of Columbia University’s Lipman Fellowship, I turned my attention to communities near where I grew up in Virginia.
Virginia panels begin investigating Black communities displaced by universities, including CNU Original
A Newport News task force, one of two recently established groups in Virginia investigating the historic displacement of Black communities by the state’s public universities, is facing allegations that it has not been open about its operations. The six-member local government and university joint initiative, along with a separate 19-member statewide panel, is seeking potential redress for Black residents that were uprooted to make way for university expansion.
Virginia panels begin investigating Black communities displaced by universities
A Newport News task force, one of two recently established groups in Virginia investigating the historic displacement of Black communities by the state’s public universities, is facing allegations that it has not been open about its operations. The six-member local government and university joint initiative, along with a separate nineteen-member statewide panel, is seeking potential redress for Black residents that were uprooted to make way for university expansion.
Virginia panels begin investigating Black communities displaced by universities Original
A Newport News task force, one of two recently established groups in Virginia investigating the historic displacement of Black communities by the state’s public universities, is facing allegations that it has not been open about its operations. The six-member local government and university joint initiative, along with a separate nineteen-member statewide panel, is seeking potential redress for Black residents that were uprooted to make way for university expansion.
Brandi Kellam, Author at Virginia Mercury
A Newport News task force, one of two recently established groups in Virginia investigating the historic displacement of Black communities by the state’s public universities, is facing allegations that it has not been open about its operations. The six-member local government and university joint initiative, along with a separate nineteen-member statewide panel, is seeking potential […]
The Family Photographs That Helped Us Investigate How a University Displaced a Black Community
In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week. James and Barbara Johnson flip through a book of their memories.
Uprooted — Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism
Sixty-plus years ago, the white leaders of Newport News, Virginia, seized the core of a thriving Black community to build a college. The school has been gobbling up the remaining houses ever since. Read the first story. This project was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the ProPublica. This story was co-published with ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Virginia Lawmakers Approve Commission to Examine Universities’ Displacement of Black Communities
In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Reporting at WHRO. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
Task Force to Consider “Restorative Justice” for Black Families Uprooted by Virginia University’s Expansion
In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
Lawmaker seeks study, relief for Black communities uprooted by Virginia universities
By Brandi Kellam The Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO A Virginia lawmaker has introduced a bill to study the widespread displacement of Black communities by public college and university expansions, a possible first step toward new compensation for property owners and their descendants. The bill, introduced by Del.
The University Uprooted a Black Neighborhood. Then Its Policies Reduced the Black Presence on Campus.
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In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
By Brandi Kellam, Louis Hansen Verified, Gabriel Sandoval Verified, Anna Maria Barry-Jester Verified
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ProPublica
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“Uprooted” Explores How University Expansion and Eminent Domain Led to Black Land Loss
In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This video was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. Sign up for Dispatches _to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
“Uprooted” Explores How University Expansion and Eminent Domain Led to Black Land Loss
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Opinion & Analysis 16 hours ago Donald Trump is not the only threat to democracy The Washington Post - By Letters to the Editor • 16h Dan Balz might be reassured by the failure of the mega rich’s millions to “produce the support of voters” for the likes of Virginia Gov.
By Brandi Kellam, Christopher Tyree, Louis Hansen, Lisa Riordan Seville Verified, Mauricio Rodríguez Pons Verified
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Flipboard
Virginia Lawmaker Calls for Commission to Study State Universities’ History of Uprooting Black Communities
In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
Virginia Law Allows the Papers of University Presidents to Stay Secret, Limiting Public Oversight
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In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
By Brandi Kellam, Gabriel Sandoval Verified, Anna Maria Barry-Jester Verified, Bianca Fortis Verified
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ProPublica
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Virginia Law Allows the Papers of College Presidents to Stay Secret, Limiting Public Oversight
This article was co-published with ProPublica and the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. This past May, we were working on a story about how the establishment and expansion of Virginia’s Christopher Newport University dismantled a vibrant Black neighborhood. When we asked university officials for archival material, we encountered something we hadn’t heard about before.
Virginia Law Allows the Papers of College Presidents to Stay Secret, Limiting Public Oversight
This article was co-published with ProPublica and the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. This past May, we were working on a story about how the establishment and expansion of Virginia’s Christopher Newport University dismantled a vibrant Black neighborhood. When we asked university officials for archival material, we encountered something we hadn’t heard about before.
Virginia’s Public Universities Have a Long History of Displacing Black Residents
In the second half of the 20th century, the establishment and expansion of public universities across Virginia uprooted Black families, hindering their efforts to accumulate wealth in the most American way — homeownership. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
Why the Destruction of a Black Neighborhood Matters to Me — and Should Matter to Everyone — Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism
As a teenager, I competed in track meets at Christopher Newport University. As a reporter, I unearthed the painful history behind the campus’s location. This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. As a high school sprinter in Virginia’s Tidewater region, I often participated in meets at Christopher Newport University’s Freeman Center, which had one of the few indoor tracks in the area.
Erasing the “Black Spot”: How a Virginia College Expanded by Uprooting a Black Neighborhood
Katie Luck was sitting in her yard under a magnolia tree one afternoon in April when a school bus passed by. A white elementary school student shouted at her from a window, “You don’t belong here.” The 81-year-old grandmother and retired teacher, who is Black, was so distressed that she called James and Barbara Johnson, who live down the road from her on Shoe Lane in Newport News, Virginia. The Johnsons, perhaps better than anyone, knew just how wrong the elementary schooler was.
Why the Destruction of a Black Neighborhood Matters to Me — and Should Matter to Everyone
As a high school sprinter in Virginia’s Tidewater region, I often participated in meets at Christopher Newport University’s Freeman Center, which had one of the few indoor tracks in the area. I won 500-meter races against top runners, and my high school was team champion. Track and field was a huge part of my identity.
Why the Destruction of a Black Neighborhood Matters to Me — and Should Matter to Everyone
As a high school sprinter in Virginia’s Tidewater region, I often participated in meets at Christopher Newport University’s Freeman Center, which had one of the few indoor tracks in the area. I won 500-meter races against top runners, and my high school was team champion. Track and field was a huge part of my identity.
How a Virginia College Expanded by Uprooting a Black Neighborhood
Katie Luck was sitting in her yard under a magnolia tree one afternoon in April when a school bus passed by. A white elementary school student shouted at her from a window, “You don’t belong here.” The 81-year-old grandmother and retired teacher, who is Black, was so distressed that she called James and Barbara Johnson, who live down the road from her on Shoe Lane in Newport News, Virginia. The Johnsons, perhaps better than anyone, knew just how wrong the elementary schooler was.
Some Of Newport News’ Poorest Families Sought Help From A Nonprofit. They’re Still Waiting.
Lilian Echanerry said she had been struggling financially for nearly five months when she started having trouble making her rent payments last June. The mother of three had been using a Section 8 rental subsidy since 2020, when she was forced to move from her Newport News, Va., public housing at Ridley Place, a complex with more than 250 units that was torn down this past spring. Until June, the voucher helped cover her costs, but then her rent rose beyond what she could afford.
Why Newport News replaced the nonprofit that was supposed to help some of its poorest residents
2023-02-03 18:37:23 Lilian Echanerry said she had been struggling financially for nearly five months when she started having trouble making her rent payments last June. The mother of three had been using a Section 8 rental subsidy since 2020, when she was forced to move from her Newport News, Va., public housing at Ridley Place, a complex with more than 250 units that was torn down this past spring.
Why Newport News replaced the nonprofit that was supposed to help some of its poorest residents
Challenges as U.S. remakes public housing As U.S. remakes public housing, cities grapple with supporting residents 02:27 Lilian Echanerry said she had been struggling financially for nearly five months when she started having trouble making her rent payments last June.
How to Report on the Repatriation of Native American Remains at Museums and Universities Near You
America’s institutions hold human remains and sacred items taken from the graves of tens of thousands of Native Americans. A federal law, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, was meant to help return them, but decades after its 1990 passage, many tribes are still waiting. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
Developers Found Graves in the Virginia Woods. Authorities Then Helped Erase the Historic Black Cemetery.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive our stories in your inbox every week. Nobody working to bring a $346 million Microsoft project to rural Virginia expected to find graves in the woods. But in a cluster of yucca plants and cedar that needed to be cleared, surveyors happened upon a cemetery.
Black Voters Matter Bus Tour Will Touch 13 States By Election Day
Some civic engagement organizations working to encourage participation for this year’s midterm elections are doing so with a message that centers on actively engaging in democracy after voters cast their ballots on Election Day. LaTosha Brown, Co-founder of Black Voters Matter says the inspiration for their multi-layered approach stems from previous civil rights movements and a desire to deeply empower the Black community.
The NBA Makes Voting a Priority with no Games on Election Day
The NBA has a history of supporting voter access and civic engagement. From teams hosting voter registration drives to outspoken players like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul Jabar, and Lebron James advocating their own causes. This year on Tuesday, November 8th, the league is supporting voter efforts to increase registration and participation by refraining from hosting any games on Election Day for the first time ever. “We want people to participate.
Black Futures Lab Aims to Create the Largest Political Study of Black People in U.S. History
Traditionally, voter drives include door knocking and phone calls employed by civic organizations to engage or register American citizens in hopes they turn up on election day. This midterm election year, Black Futures Lab is employing an innovative approach with a nationwide census project designed to get out the Black vote and build the Black agenda.
Reclaim Your Vote: When We All Vote Makes Appeal to Youth Voters
Even though 2018 saw the highest turnout for a midterm election since 1914, nearly 50 percent of voters did not participate. It was also the largest turnout of young people in decades for a midterm election, yet still, nearly two-thirds of young people did not vote. When We All Vote, a non-partisan initiative launched by former First Lady Michelle Obama, has been working to close the race and age gap in voter participation.
Reclaiming Your Vote
With the U.S. midterm elections less than two months away, nationwide efforts to get voters to the polls have been accelerating as advocacy groups try to capitalize on the historic turnout of the 2020 presidential election. The National Urban League, one of the oldest civil rights organizations in the country, has launched a field campaign that will be its largest midterm “get out the vote” initiative in the organization’s modern-day history.
“If Everybody’s White, There Can’t Be Any Racial Bias”: The Disappearance of Hispanic Drivers From Traffic Records
The sheriff of Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish answers only to voters. In this conservative suburb, that translates to nearly unchecked power. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with WRFK and WWNO. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. Join reporters from both newsrooms on Thursday, Dec. 2 for “Shielded,” a live virtual event about how law enforcement agencies shield themselves from accountability.
Three Children Attacked a Black Woman. A Sheriff’s Deputy Arrived - and Beat Her More.
The sheriff of Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish answers only to voters. In this conservative suburb, that translates to nearly unchecked power. This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with WRKF and WWNO, and it was also co-published with The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.
Family of Andrew Brown Jr. to file federal lawsuit over his police killing
No charges in Andrew Brown Jr.'s killing No charges in Andrew Brown Jr.'s killing 13:00 The family of Andrew Brown Jr., a Black man who was shot and killed by police in April, plans to file a federal lawsuit over his death, attorney Harry Daniels confirmed to CBS News.
"One thing I am feeling is resilient": Minneapolis community leaders look toward long-term goals amid Chauvin trial
The moment that has been on hearts and minds for nearly a month in the city of Minneapolis has finally arrived as it was announced on Tuesday afternoon a verdict has been reached in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd. Three Minneapolis leaders who spoke to CBS News during last summer' protests, tell us that while they are cautiously optimistic about the outcome, they are preparing for a verdict on either side.
Jeep to unveil new lineup of Cherokee SUVs amid calls to remove the Native American-based name
Jeep is expected to unveil the latest edition of one its most popular SUV lines with an updated look soon, but it seems it may not incorporate the major change some Native American leaders have been asking for.
Jeep to unveil new lineup of Cherokee SUVs amid calls to remove the Native American-based name
Jeep is expected to unveil the latest edition of one its most popular SUV lines with an updated look soon, but it seems it may not incorporate the major change some Native American leaders have been asking for. The newest installment of the Cherokee series arrives this spring with a reworked design but the same name, despite growing calls for the company to change the branding on their cars, which carry the name of the largest indigenous tribe in the United States.
Nurses protest unsafe conditions in front of White House
A nurse's duty Nurses from National Nurses United, a union of registered nurses across the country, held a protest in front of the White House on Tuesday. The protest is the latest organized by the union, which says its nurses have been left with minimal to no protection while treating patients infected with the coronavirus. Nurses held photos and read the names of fellow registered nurses and other health care workers who have become infected or died from COVID-19 while at work.
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