ANNE SALSICH, OBERLIN college
PROPOSAL TYPE
Pecha Kucha
SEEKING
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking Specific Expertise
RELATED TOPICS
- Environment
- Government Historians
- Labor and Economy
- Place
- Preservation
- Public Engagement
- Social Justice
ABSTRACT
This collaborative session would bring multiple cultural perspectives to bear on infrastructure inequality and opportunity. What do we mean by infrastructure in the 21st century? What might the Biden administration initiative for new infrastructure offer to underrepresented communities in America? What has the New Deal taught us about successes or failures in government infrastructure projects? How has the history of Canadian infrastructure differed from that of America’s? What are the environmental implications of and opportunities for new infrastructure projects? Recommendations for gathering input from communities could potentially be submitted to the American or Canadian governments for their information.
DESCRIPTION
I am sending this out to see if there are enough public historians and others interested in coming together on this topic to make a large discussion session of some kind. The goal is to include as many different viewpoints as possible on the subject of infrastructure, its historical context, and what is meant by the term in the 21st century. A pecha-kucha might be the best format, but other formats may also work.
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: Anne Salsich, Oberlin College, [email protected]
ALL FEEDBACK AND OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY JULY 1, 2021. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
Bill Willingham, [email protected], could be a great presenter. He has written extensively about the history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
As part of this session, I would reach out to researchers investigating the efforts of Urban renewal efforts in the 1960s to add needed perspective on how these projects have affected local communities. Either Robert Nelson at the University of Richmond or Brandi Blessett from the University of Cincinnati would great additions to this panel.
Hi Anne,
I love this topic and think it’s a really unique way to approach the meeting theme of “Crossroads.” I am reminded of a session from the 2021 Virtual NCPH, “A Public History of Interstate 35W in South Minneapolis” which explored this topic. I think community voices (i.e. those impacted by infrastructure developments) need to be part of this conversation; one project I’d recommend is the Museum of Memory: Globeville, Elyria, Swansea project at History Colorado (https://www.historycolorado.org/globeville-elyria-swansea-memory-project). These three historic neighborhoods were impacted by the construction of Highways I-70 and I-25, and a recent redevelopment of I-70 has further isolated and driven residents from this area. The Museum of Memory project captured oral history interviews with residents. This or other community-centered projects would really strengthen this proposal.