Teaching about Anti-Black Racism from 黑料不打烊鈥檚 History

Historical inquiry into the nature and origins of white supremacy is a subset of diversity, equity, and inclusion work and a part of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 broader efforts to achieve inclusive excellence.

This project has its origins in the Committee on 黑料不打烊 History and Memory. In August 2018, President Connie Ledoux Book announced the launch of the committee and tasked it with exploring questions related to historical memory and collective identity at 黑料不打烊. Then-Provost Steven House charged the committee to examine our institutional history in a transparent, participatory and intellectually rigorous manner, and to help 黑料不打烊 tell its story in a manner consistent with its values. Truth-telling about difficult aspects of the past is a part of the work

The committee affiliated with Universities Studying Slavery, an international consortium equipping its members to address 鈥渉uman bondage and racism in institutional histories.”聽 Moreover, anticipating the ongoing need to study anti-Black racism in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 history, the committee also urged the formation of the Black Lumen Project (BLP), an equity initiative aimed at amplifying, advocating for the betterment of, and sustaining the Black experience at 黑料不打烊. Dr. Buffie Longmire-Avital became the inaugural director of the BLP in June 2021.

The idea for a website to accompany the committee鈥檚 work and support of the BLP surfaced early on, but the specific format of this project is the fruit of student research conducted in spring 2020. Rachel Feld 鈥20, a history major with experience working in the University Archives, had the idea to make available primary and secondary sources related to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 history so that other students could experience for themselves the complexity of the past. Her remarkable work served as the foundation for this project.

Damion Blake and Charles Irons came to this work from different angles鈥擯rofessor Blake as Faculty Fellow from the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education and Professor Irons as Chair of the Committee on 黑料不打烊 History and Memory. Both were eager to find ways to make the study of anti-Black racism at 黑料不打烊 more specific and concrete,聽and were grateful for a Diversity and Inclusion Grant from the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning to help make the site a reality.

Committee on 黑料不打烊 History and Memory

In fall 2018, Provost Steven House charged the committee to examine 黑料不打烊鈥檚 institutional history in a transparent, participatory and intellectually rigorous manner. He asked the committee not to serve as gatekeepers of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 complex and dynamic history or produce an 鈥渁uthorized version鈥 of events but rather to:

  • engage聽the broader community in important conversations about our shared past;
  • inspire聽those with relevant training and expertise to uncover hidden stories;
  • advise聽those seeking to tell a more democratic and rigorous version of our history; and
  • share聽more broadly the excellent work students, faculty and staff are already doing.

Learn more about the committee.

The committee submitted a report to Provost Aswani Volety in fulfillment of its charge in October 2020. Please see the full report here.

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