National Council on Public History

WILLIAM KELLY, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN

Proposal Type

Roundtable

Seeking

• Seeking Additional Presenters
• Seeking General Feedback and Interest

Related Topics

• Memory
• Museums/Exhibits
• Preservation
• Public Engagement

Abstract

This paper examines the sequence of events that led to Charlotte Dupuy, an enslaved woman, suing outgoing Secretary of State Henry Clay while living at Decatur House in Washington, D.C in 1829. Influenced by her diverse social interactions, Dupuy optimally timed her suit for full effect and obtained a limited degree of freedom while her case was pending. Her actions elicited an unprecedented anxious defense from Clay. Each of these factors are currently exhibited at Decatur House. In reality, Dupuy’s case is rooted in her life as a five-year old girl .in Maryland.  Therefore, Dupuy’s case should be interpreted as a longer struggle for freedom, not an isolated event. Current exhibits lack this perspective. This paper seeks to fill that void.

Description

Currently, two options for broader panel topics are outlined below. Any feedback regarding these topics are welcome:

1. Integrating the legal and public history of slavery and freedom suits: As the courageous actions of enslaved persons who waged freedom suits against their masters are increasingly examined by contemporary historians, questions of commemoration and memorialization naturally follow. The story of Charlotte Dupuy is currently being exhumed and exhibited by the White House Historical Association in the quarters she transformed nearly 200 years ago. Digital resources, such as “O Say Can You See: Early Washington, D.C., Law and Family,” are consistently compiling primary resources that highlight legal strategies and networks utilized and challenged by petitioners. But there remains work to be done to go beyond journal articles and books to remember, memorialize, and commemorate the multifaceted histories of freedom suits of the antebellum era. What steps can be taken to develop the legal and social histories of freedom suits into meaningful public history?

2. Interpreting historic sites and slavery: When Charlotte moved into the western wing of Decatur House in 1827, she was the first documented enslaved person to reside in the structure. Her presence effectively transformed the space into a slave’s quarters. Today, because this extension of Decatur House along H Street is one of the few well-preserved remnants of slave quarters in the United States, opportunities abound for interpreting and reconstructing its spatial history and memory. How have interpretations of slavery sites developed over time, in what direction is the analysis trending, and is there an ultimate goal? What are the best practices for interpreting these sites? Does interpretation of slave sites vary regionally throughout the United States and the globe?

This submission seeks to form a panel of individuals who, in addition to the submitter, are interested in one or more of the subtopics proposed. Once interested panelists are identified, the panel with focus on one of the subtopics mentioned, address areas of concern in the proposal, and solidify the panel. Any constructive feedback and suggestions are highly welcome.

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: William Kelly, [email protected]

All feedback and offers of assistance should be submitted by July 1, 2019. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.

Discussion