National Council on Public History

Anne Mitchell Whisnant, Deputy Secretary of the Faculty, UNC-Chapel Hill

Proposal Type: Structured Conversation

Seeking: Additional Presenters, General Feedback and Interest

Abstract: The session I’d like to propose will employ either a roundtable or structured conversation format to engage the challenges that emerge when universities (especially historically white, male universities) are called upon to confront and more forthrightly interpret their own histories of exclusivity as part of realizing their oft-stated desires to become more open, inclusive environments.

Seeking: Given that many universities’ histories are entangled with slavery, segregation, white supremacy, or other types of ethnic, class or gender privilege, how can those campuses best acknowledge these pasts? How can they cope with the reality that treasured campus stories, landscapes, buildings, monuments, traditions, or celebrations may carry the legacies of these exclusive pasts — legacies that some campus constituencies now find offensive or exclusionary?

What sorts of interpretive or educational efforts are likely to be feasible, effective, and sustainable in this context? What public history approaches (e.g. interepretive plans, preservation efforts, digital or physical exhibits, waysides, walking tours, civic engagement techniques) adapt well to university settings? What role can classes or teaching play? Who should control such projects, and how can they be institutionalized?

How can public historians in university settings help universities see that robust public history initiatives along these lines can support other initiatives aimed at enhancing diversity and expanding relevance? How can they best collaborate with campus partners and stakeholders (administration, alumni, students, faculty, staff, trustees) in such efforts? How can all involved navigate the resulting conversations, which often provoke conflicts that invoke, exacerbate, or highlight present-day campus power relations? How can such conversations — which tend to pop up periodically as students come and go — be sustained for the long term? Finally, how does working in a university setting (e.g. an environment that is about education, but is not self-consciously a museum or historic site) reshape public history practice?

I am looking for participants who can talk about efforts in this regard on their own campuses. I will speak to the issue from the standpoint of UNC-Chapel Hill, where the trustees have just announced that a controversial campus building named for a 19th century KKK leader will be renamed and a major university history initiative will be launched. I know that conversations about these issues have taken place at many other universities, and that many campuses are father along than Chapel Hill on history projects. I would welcome suggestions for public historians or consultants as well as people who have been involved in such efforts from other perspectives — as students, alumni, trustees, or administrators. Part of the aim of the session is to generate a set of ideas that are well adapted to the university setting.

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: Anne Mitchell Whisnant,anne_whisnant[at]unc.edu

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, Museums/Exhibits, Place

Discussion