Angela Tate, Northwestern University
Proposal Type
Structured Conversation
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking Specific Expertise
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
Related Topics
- Memory
- Place
- Social Justice
Abstract
Black people have long turned to public history–museums, temporary exhibits, walking tours, publications, etc–to educate, remember, and empower. Holidays like Juneteenth and public history sites like Frederick Douglass’s home in Anacostia (DC) and the Dora Nelson Museum in Perris, Calif., were established in emancipation and Black Power eras. The recent movements for #BlackLivesMatter and #RhodesMustFall appear to be public history in a neo-emancipation era. Not only using digital means to raise awareness about particular issues and to foster conversation, but also to make things happen. There is also an archival element–black people are documenting their history/memory as it happens–and mostly outside of traditional museum spaces.
Description
My goal for this proposal is to collaborate with public historians and scholars with an interest in and/or experience with black public history, archival activism, memory, slavery/emancipation, and current social justice movements. I am interested in creating a conversation around the history and the state of black public history–is there a specific black public history? Is there a global dimension to black memory? What about a gendered dimension? What is the role of the internet? What are the limitations?
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly: Angela Tate, [email protected]
All feedback and offers of assistance should be submitted by July 1, 2018. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
As an author who is currently researching and writing a Y.A. nonfiction book, “Cowboys Like Us,” that profiles the untold triumphs of America’s heroic black cowboys, I am interested in attending your presentation to hear what everyone has to say about your subject. Sounds great.
Thank you Keith!
You might reach out to Mary Liz and Paul Stewart of the amazing Myers House project in Albany NY for their perspectives. Perhaps they could be induced to contribute to the session.
Thank you for the suggestion, Patricia! Will do!
This is a great topic! When considering black public history, it may be useful to have activists who use public history/archives in pedagogy/activism as part of this panel. I’ve followed through Twitter the roll out of the walking tour/guide book “Lifting as they Climbed: Mapping Black Women’s South Side Histories,” by Essence McDowell and Mariame Kaba. The campaigns to create a monument to Ida B. Wells and another to victims of the people who were tortured by Chicago police in the 1970s & 1980s were both led by activists and family members.
I posted my comment too soon: I also think that engagiing with the people behind the Documenting the Now project, although not exclusively about public history, would be very helpful in theorizing black public history.
Good luck!
Thank you, Modupe! It slipped my mind that I have indeed seen Essense and Miriam talk about the book/walking tour. I will definitely reach out to Documenting the Now.
There is some interesting work/ approaches being done in Rhode Island/CT area by the Center for Reconciliation in Providence. http://cfrri.org/
Fantastic! You might connect with the organizers/presenters from our last two PubComm sessions, both of which had lots of common points of interest. Check out the latest at .
Oops, here it is: http://2018.pubcommphilly.com
Lots of great ideas percolating here! I really like the framing of this around the provocative question “Is there a specific black history?” and I agree that it’s a good time to revisit that conversation, which of course connects with long-running debates about the various benefits and drawbacks of separating out any “non-dominant” history as a distinct strand within the past.
The global, gendered, technological, and perhaps other dimensions of this discussion head you in ambitious directions, but my guess is that if you can put together a strong panel you’ll be able to keep it all centered around that strong central question.
As someone teaching North American history outside of the United States, I see the fact that US history both in university departments as well as in places like the Smithsonian becomes more and more diverse both as a plus and a problem. So I agree with Cathy that it would be a good time to address that issue. You might want to include someone from the NMAAC in the conversation. If you have ideas about making it more global, we might be able to help you find someone through the International Federation for Public History.
This proposal is quite interesting, it can tie into the conference theme of “repair” well.
I would be very interested in participating. I teach an Introduction to Public History course at the University of Tennessee (upper division, undergraduate). Influenced by recent events and an NEH Summer Seminar with the Georgia Historical Society (2017), I focused this year’s class on race. My course name is: “The City as History: Introduction to Public History.” My students read important works on race and memory, served as interns at local historical sites and organizations, and created exhibits and presentations on race and public memory, based on their readings, internships, and field experiences.
Thank you,
Patricia Brake Rutenberg
University of Tennessee
Hi Angela,
Great sounding proposal! If you are still looking for anyone to join your panel I’d be happy to volunteer. Either way glad to make the connection. Your work sounds fascinating.