| You can’t see this email? View it in your browser. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Painting from the 1823 series, Ten Views in the Island of Antigua, by Rev. William Clark. The series documented the exploitative labor practices in the British West Indies. |
Did Black Lives Matter?
Rewriting History in a Caribbean Context
By: Alissandra Cummins
|
|
From sexual violence to high rates of minority incarceration, the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade are widespread. In June, the Coalition gathered Sites from across Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. to discuss how Sites of Conscience can engage communities around these issues at a conference entitled, "Re-Envisioning Historic Sites of Slavery in the 21st Century."
Held at Maison des Esclaves, a renowned slave house in Senegal, the conference drew parallels between slavery past and present, and explored strategies to make history as inclusive and effective as possible in social justice movements.
In this Newsletter, four conference participants – Alissandra Cummins (Barbados), Joseph Dumbuya (Sierra Leone), Louis Nelson (U.S.), and Farah Tanis (U.S.) – speak to the multi-layered nature of history as it relates to slavery in their countries. Click below to read our opening essay by Alissandra Cummins, a distinguished member of the Coalition's Ambassadors Circle. |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
 |
| When Rewriting History Is a Good Thing |
Louis Nelson, a professor of architectural history at the University of Virginia and a member of the scientific committee for the revitalization of Maison des Esclaves, discusses the divisive effect of Civil War memorials honoring those who fought for slavery in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. He argues that one of the most important responsibilities of historians is to revisit well-known histories and consider them afresh.
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
| Conscience Conversations: What Comes after Truth and Reconciliation Commissions? |
| How can communities best move forward after the close of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions? And how can Sites of Conscience support civil society initiatives that help survivors turn toward the future? Our most recent Conscience Conversations brought together Joseph Dumbuya (Sierra Leone Peace Museum) and Farah Tanis (Museum of Women's Resistance) to explore these questions. |
 |
|
|
|
 |
| "History Lives in Our Bodies" |
| Black women's stories are often excluded from historical and contemporary narratives, even among groups that appear sympathetic to their struggles. The Coalition talks here with Farah Tanis, executive director of the Museum of Women's Resistance, a Coalition member, about the legacies of slavery that plague black women today, the challenges they have faced from civil rights groups, and the steps that must be taken to ensure their stories are heard. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
