{"id":94,"date":"2017-01-31T19:15:11","date_gmt":"2017-01-31T19:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/draft.interpretingslavery.com\/?page_id=94"},"modified":"2022-12-30T16:01:57","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T16:01:57","slug":"interpreting-slavery-at-museums-and-historic-sites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/interpreting-slavery-at-museums-and-historic-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

\u201cThis seminal work \u2026 will make a significant impact.\u201d<\/p>\n– Rex M. Ellis, Associate Director, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites<\/a><\/i>, edited by Kristin Gallas and James DeWolf Perry, was the most visible product of a three-year Tracing Center<\/a> project to develop and disseminate best practices in slavery interpretation. This project has also included surveys of the field, workshops at historic sites and museums, conference presentations and instructional sessions, as well as additional publications.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The book, published by Rowman & Littlefield, is a collaboration with seven leading public historians with deep expertise in navigating the interpretation of slavery:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Dina A. Bailey<\/strong>, Mountain Top Vision, LLC<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Patricia Brooks<\/strong>, National Endowment for the Humanities<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Richard C. Cooper<\/strong>, Conner Prairie <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Conny Graft<\/strong>, Conny C. Graft Research and Evaluation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Linnea Grim<\/strong>, Monticello<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Katherine D. Kane<\/strong>, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (retired)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Nicole A. Moore<\/strong>, National Center for Civil and Human Rights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Interpreting Slavery<\/em> aims to move the field forward in its collective conversation about the interpretation of slavery\u2014acknowledging criticism of the past and acting in the present to develop an inclusive interpretation of slavery. Presenting the history of slavery in a comprehensive and conscientious manner requires diligence and compassion\u2014for the history itself, for those telling the story, and for those hearing the stories\u2014but it\u2019s a necessary part of our collective narrative about our past, present, and future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Interpreting Slavery <\/em>features best practices for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • I<\/strong>nterpreting slavery across the country and for diverse visitors<\/strong>. The history of slavery, while traditionally interpreted primarily on southern plantations, is increasingly recognized as relevant at historic sites of many kinds and across the nation. More than just an African-American and European-American story, it is relevant to the history of citizens of Latino, Caribbean, African and indigenous descent, as well, and to those descended from immigrants who arrived after slavery, whose stories are deeply intertwined with the legacy of slavery and its aftermath.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Developing support within an institution for the interpretation of slavery<\/strong>. Many institutions are reticent to approach such a potentially volatile subject, so this book examines how proponents at several sites, including Monticello and Mount Vernon, were able to make a strong case to their stakeholders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Training interpreters<\/strong> in not only a depth of knowledge of the subject, but also the confidence to speak on this controversial issue in public and the compassion to handle such a sensitive historical issue and its contemporary resonances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The book is intended primarily for professionals at all levels in the public history field, as well as students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in museum studies and public history programs. It will also be of interest to anyone teaching the history of slavery, either as an historical topic or in the context of exploring contemporary issues of race or privilege.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites<\/em> provides museum professionals with a roadmap to help them engage the topic with greater confidence and vision. It is thoughtful and comprehensive. Well worth the read.<\/p>\n– Christy Coleman, president of The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in Richmond, Virginia<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      Contents of the book<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Foreword by Rex M. Ellis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Preface<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 1: Comprehensive Content and Contested Historical Narratives
      Kristin L. Gallas and James DeWolf Perry<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 2: The Role of Race and Racial Identity in Interpretation
      Kristin L. Gallas and James DeWolf Perry<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 3: \u201cSo Deep Dyed in Our Fabric, It Can Not Be Washed Out\u201d: Developing Institutional Support for the Interpretation of Slavery
      Linnea Grim<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 4: Institutional Change at Northern Historic Sites: Telling Slavery\u2019s Story in the Land of Abolition
      Katherine D. Kane<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 5: The Necessity of Community Involvement: Talking About Slavery in the 21st Century
      Dina A. Bailey and Richard C. Cooper<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 6: Visitors Are Ready, Are We?
      Conny Graft<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 7: Developing Competent and Confident Interpreters
      Patricia Brooks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chapter 8: Perceptions of Race and Identity and their Impact on Slavery\u2019s Interpretation
      Nicole A. Moore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Conclusion<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      \u201cThis seminal work \u2026 will make a significant impact.\u201d – Rex M. Ellis, Associate Director, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites, edited by Kristin Gallas and James DeWolf Perry, was the most visible product of a three-year Tracing Center project to develop and disseminate best […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-94","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P8vB0I-1w","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/94","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/94\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":969,"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/94\/revisions\/969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/interpretingslavery.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}