Amy Speckart, independent scholar

PROPOSAL TYPE

Traditional panel

Seeking
  • Seeking Additional Presenters
  • Seeking General Feedback and Interest
  • Seeking Specific Expertise
RELATED TOPICS
  • Material culture
  • Memory
  • Place
ABSTRACT

This panel will convene contemporary voices working to examine and change narratives about Revolutionary Era historic houses broadly conceived around the Atlantic world, circa 1750-1830. Bringing new ideas and new narratives to traditional spaces, this panel will offer nuanced readings of historic houses and their environments in preparation for America’s 250th anniversary.

DESCRIPTION

The Revolutionary Era historic house museum plays a long-standing and central role in the presentation and interpretation of early American history for the public. Successive generations of historians and heritage practitioners, from the amateur to the professional, have built a substantial and enduring narrative around the theme of the heroism of the American Revolution, uplifting individual canonical figures, commemorating selected historic sites, including the homes of Founding Fathers, and celebrating patriotism–while writing out the role of many others who contributed to the shape and development of the new United States. Today, the American struggle with this problematic overarching narrative continues to play out in the public sphere: from schools and curriculum, to monuments in the public square, to politics at the local and national levels. Historic house museum staff in collaboration with teachers, scholars and community activists for the past thirty years have implemented momentous changes to the presentation and interpretation of their sites, and their work continues to evolve in response to new challenges.

Join two women scholars in surveying the state of the field in Revolutionary era historic site research, interpretation, and preservation. How are historic sites addressing the challenges of centering marginalized stories in curation and interpretation? How is new interpretation balanced with perceived ideas of the meaning of “revolutionary” and the positive reception and/or pushback against change?

Panel organizers are looking for more women scholars and historic house practitioners to join them in this conference presentation. We especially welcome panelists who can broaden the geographic scope, including especially those working with houses in the Caribbean, Canada, and the borderlands of the early United States. Other topics of interest are responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and the use of social media to reach new audiences. Panelists may become contributors to a publication dedicated to the same topic being developed in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding in 2026.


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: Amy Speckart, Independent Scholar, [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.

Discussion

2 comments
  1. Morgen Young says:

    My HRA colleague Jackie Gonzales would be a good person to connect with – [email protected]. She’s currently working on a project about underrepresented voices during this time period. She might be willing to participate as a presenter or recommend other folks to present.

    1. Amy Speckart says:

      Thank you, Morgen!

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