Devin Hunter, Assistant Professor of American and Public History, University of Illinois Springfield
Proposal Type: Roundtable
Seeking: Additional Presenters, Specific Expertise, General Feedback and Interest
Abstract: Recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore have created new contexts for public history projects related to race riots, and urban rebellions and unrest of the past. This round table seeks to bring together practitioners and community members involved in interpreting the history of race riots and related events, as a way to share the ways that current events are impacting historical projects. Likewise, we hope to explore the ways that historical interpretation may influence contemporary activists.
Seeking: Issues related to the memory, commemoration, and interpretation of race riots and urban protests have long been complex and often controversial. This is no more true than today, as protesters sympathetic to the “Black Lives Matter” movement continue to garner attention. With this round table, we ask: What is ‘new’ about the public history of race riots and urban uprisings? We hope to discuss the interpretation of historical race riots and urban uprisings in the contemporary context of “Black Lives Matter,” and vice versa. As such, we seek public historians and community members involved in either—-or both—-interpreting protest, unrest, and uprisings of the past and the present. Our initial goal is to organize a discussion around the questions: “How is your approach to the past impacted by current events; or, how is your approach to current events impacted by history?” We also acknowledge the complexities of using the past in the present. What are the limitatio ns of the history of race riots in understanding contemporary social movements? Furthermore, to what extent can current events allow historians to “challenge the exclusive past?”
These are interesting times for the public history of race riots and urban unrest. Anniversaries for Watts (1965), Newark (1967), and East Saint Louis (1917) guarantee a raised visibility for interpretative efforts. Recent events directly related to race riots have also ensure renewed interest, such as the discovery of a key archaeological site from the Springfield Race Riot (1908) and the development of an Oprah Winfrey Network docudrama based on the Tulsa Race Riot (1921). In these examples, we see publics challenging the exclusive past by seeking to re-take control of the meaning of these events and how they should be remembered. These dynamics, along with current social and political movements, only amplify the renewed importance of memorialization and interpretation.
We seek for our round table general suggestions on how to start a dialogue about the latest in public history approaches. We also desire a diversity of voices, ranging from history professionals, community members, and contemporary activists. The geographic and chronological frame for the round table is expansive, as we are interested in insights about race riots and urban uprisings in the historical United States and beyond. Current round table participants plan to focus on the ongoing discussions about the fate of archaeological artifacts from the Springfield Race Riot, and the controversies of commemoration and reparations related to the Tulsa Race Riot.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to share contact information for other people the proposer should reach out to, please get in contact directly: Devin Hunter,dvhunter[at]gmail.com
If you have general ideas or feedback to share please feel free to use the comments feature below.
All feedback, and offers of assistance, should be submitted by July 3, 2015.
Related Topics: Civic Engagement, Memory, Museums/Exhibits
Great and timely topic. We have been working to make sure the meeting includes opportunities to reflect on the recent events in Baltimore. I would like to see this as a round table or a working group. You should definitely reach out to folks who have been participating in twitter discussions –especially #BlkTwitterstorians– on these subjects to talk about the value of social media for shaping conversations; you might also reach out to Joe Tropea at the Maryland Historical Society who is working with a variety of organizations on a grassroots collecting effort; similarly, the folks at Washington University who have Documenting Ferguson.
I agree with Denise that this may be a very fruitful working group. Commemoration of race riots such as Springfield, Tulsa, Wilmington, and the Greensboro Massacre (1979) are often interdisciplinary, community based, and either take on a life of their own, or wither away. Additionally, many ethnic cleansings and race riots remain relatively unknown beyond academics (such as the anti-Chinese riots in the West in the 1880s): why is this the case and how can public historians help raise awareness of the U.S. history of race riots? An alternate way to approach this may be to look at the practices of commemoration and activism which people in Chicago, who were tortured by the police in the 1970s-1990s, have used (drama, reparations, education, attempts to establish historic markers, etc)–and to see the connections & differences.
Good luck!
A very important and relevant topic. I would be very interested to hear the variety of opinions on how the unrest today, in view of video evidence, is different from the past which mainly had little or no video. Sounds great.