Sheretta Butler-Barnes Featured in CBS Special on Ferguson

A decade after Michael Brown’s fatal shooting on Aug. 9, 2014, systemic racism and the safety and equity of Black Americans remain critical issues, according to Sheretta Butler-Barnes, a professor at the Brown School, who will appear in a CBS prime-time special on the shooting and its aftermath.  

“13 Days in Ferguson,” airs Friday, August 9 — marking the 10th anniversary of the shooting. 

The special revisits the events in Ferguson, Missouri, where Brown, an unarmed teenager, was killed by a police officer, sparking nationwide outrage and protests over racial injustice and police violence. Butler-Barnes will provide her insights on the lasting impact of those events. 

“The interview centers around my experiences during Ferguson as a scholar, a parent, as a Black American, but also the bigger implications of racial trauma, parental conversations about race, and pathways to healing,” she explained. 

Butler-Barnes hopes viewers will take away from the program the resilience of the Ferguson community, while also acknowledging the ongoing challenges Black Americans face. “Black Americans have long dealt with racialized experiences, whether it’s Mike Brown, George Floyd, and most recently Sonya Massey,” she said.  

Reflecting on the past decade, Butler-Barnes says while progress has been made, such as a more diverse police force in Ferguson and increased scrutiny of police actions, significant work remains. 

“Progress largely depends on who’s in office and who’s willing to fight for people of color. Right now, we’re seeing book bans in schools and a revisionist history that is moving us back, she said. “It’s going to take all of us to be the change that we want to see.”

“not just a trend for us”  

Since 2021, Butler-Barnes has led a National Science Foundation-funded study examining how racial violence affects family dynamics and children’s well-being. Alongside collaborators including Seanna Leath, an assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences in Arts & Sciences, and Bridget Cheeks, an assistant professor in human development and family studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Butler-Barnes has been following and interviewing 700 Black families in Missouri. The study aims to understand how racial stress and coping with racial violence affect parenting practices and their child’s academic performance and emotional health. This year marks the third follow-up with the families. 

“The work we are doing is not just a trend for us. We’re committed to it,” Butler-Barnes said. “While the world moves on, we still have to pick up the pieces and have conversations with our Black sons and our Black daughters about race and racism in America. I think it’s important that Wash U and the STL region know that scholars are here, wanting to understand ways that we can provide resources.”

The CBS special “13 Days in Ferguson,” also features Cedric The Entertainer, who grew up near Ferguson, Captain Ron Johnson, who led the law enforcement response, and key figures including Michael Brown Sr. The special will air on Friday, August 9, from 10:00 to 11:00 PM ET/PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+.