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Studies of Slavery and Its Legacies

Join us in the exploration of historical memory and the ethical actions driven by archival research, aiming to develop perspective-taking skills and foster inclusive campuses. Highlights include visits to Atlanta University Center archives, tours of Oakland Cemetery and Stone Mountain, student research presentations, and reflective discussions.

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Studies of Slavery and Its Legacies

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  1. The Studies of Slavery and Its Legacies Project Scott Wilson Associate Dean, The University of the South Sewanee, Tennessee swilson@Sewanee.edu

  2. Goals of the Project • Develop perspective-taking skills • Critically appraise sites of historical memory • Foster ethical action based on archival research • Ultimately, to foster more inclusive campuses

  3. Meeting in Atlanta • Visit to the Atlanta University Center archives • Tour of Oakland Cemetery • Visit to Stone Mountain for the evening light show

  4. Gathering in Sewanee • Examination of Sewanee’s memorials • Discussion of buildings and place names such as Armfield Bluff, Gorgas Hall, and Quintard Hall • Visitations to segregated cemeteries, churches, and schools.

  5. Student Archival Research and Presentations • Sewanee students’ performance related to the Lovell Family archives • Morehouse students’ research of the lives of chattel slaves • Spelman students’ research of their families’ memories of chattel slavery and historical meaning of Confederate symbols

  6. Participants’ Reflections • Crossing racial and cultural boundaries: • “The trip opened my eyes to seeing that some white people actually want to fight oppression in America.” • “For me it was just physically being at a HBCU. It was really an eye-opening experience.” • “Black students do not have a lot of opportunities to speak about race and racism with Whites. This is not easy for us, too.” • Ethical responsibility: • “By using the names and ages of those enslaved by John Quitman in a memorial setting, we 1) brought them out of the archives and into the public eye and 2) gave the viewers/listeners a way of forming an emotional connection to history by imagining who these people might have been, and even more importantly, imagining one's self in their position.”

  7. Achievements and Difficulties • Achievements: • Fostered difficult dialogues across difference • Exchanges challenged Sewanee students to become more sensitive to racial perspectives in their archival research • Personal transformation of participants • Embedding transformative experiences in the curriculum • Difficulties: • Academic calendars not aligning • Gaining buy-in from students • Maintaining equality among the participating institutions • Sensitivity and vulnerability in exploring racial subjects

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