Zombies have a distinct lineage— one that traces back to Equatorial and Central Africa. For three centuries, African people were enslaved and brought to the Caribbean Islands. There, a religion known as vodou developed, along with the belief that a person's soul can be captured and stored, becoming a body-less zombie. Christopher M. Moreman uncovers the true origins of the undead. [Directed by Kaspar Jancis, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio].

Christopher M. Moreman: The dark history of zombies

The dark history of zombies

The term 'zombie' traces roots to Central Africa, embodying fears of enslavement beyond death, a fate worse than death itself.

Hollywood's first zombie portrayal in 1932's 'White Zombie' shifted the narrative, prioritizing spectacle over cultural significance.

Zombies in modern media mirror societal anxieties, from consumerism to disaster unpreparedness, evolving far from their origins.