The Project
Working title: Memory and monuments in post-slavery, postcolonial cities: Comparing the public history landscapes of Segou, Mali, Bridgetown, Barbados, and Richmond, Virginia USA, 1865-2015
I am conducting research about the public history practices of three cities that have experienced slavery, colonialism, and independence or a post-slavery/colonial era. This will be a comparative examination of the ways that three cities deeply affected by slavery and colonialism, and representing distinct points along the transatlantic trade, have presented their historical narratives in public spaces since the end of slavery or colonial rule. I hope this research will provide a context for current efforts to memorialize Black histories in post-slavery/postcolonial cities that include both the economic promise of heritage tourism and the need for pursuing both truth and reconciliation. Justice is harder.
The idea arose from the public history work that I have done in Richmond, Virginia, facilitation of a sister city relationship between Richmond and Ségou, Mali, and recent studies of the history of the Atlantic trade in the establishment of Barbados, and it’s capital city. Each has its experiences as black societies created by the Atlantic slave trade that experienced a liberation process (independence in anglophone Barbados [1966] and francophone Mali [1960], emancipation/abolition [1865] in the United States) and yet still struggles, to varying degrees, under the control of entrenched or legacy white (European or U.S.) economic interests. Each city has histories of resistance to slavery and oppression, celebrations of liberation and self-determination or progress in the face of adversity due to racism or white supremacy, or of values that Black people choose to honor in public places that might differ from former slave-owners, colonizers and those who accommodated their interests.
While in Barbados, I plan to
Proposed Sources
Many thanks are due to the inspiration, guidance and mentorship of many people, many scholars, willing to share their experiences, expertise and networks of friends and colleagues in order that I be another better educated human who will, in turn, pay it forward. For this particular VCU Study Abroad Program: Bernard Moitt, Tia Moitt, Kojenwa and Thandika, our guest lecturers (Richard Goodridge, Pedro Welch, and Karl Watson), Aaron Kamugisha, Alvin Thompson, Autumn Rain, and this list will grow (see below) as I have more people to meet! Special thanks go to those in our on-the-ground cohort: Nicholas Frech, Elna Murray Springer, Al, Danny and Faye (whose last names I still don't know! and the members of our study abroad cohort who are teaching me a lot about framework. Extra special thanks to our hosts at UWI Frank Worrell Residence Halls and Ms. Marva, who does what no-one but family should do for kin!!
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SCHOLARS Richard Goodridge (labor and African history), Alvin Thompson (by phone, history professor emeritus), Pedro Welch, Aaron Kamugisha, Natalie McGuire and Kevin Farmer (Barbados Museum), Karl Watson (walking tour of bridgetown). ARTISTS Annalee Davis (Rutgers alum, "the plantation"), Jamal Ifill (glassblower), Ricky ____ (John Moore Bar). ACTIVIST David Commissiong (Clement Payne Cultural Centre). INDIVIDUALS Al _____, Elna Murray Springer, Michael and Cyntra (Nick's friends), Wayne Ward (Nick's friend, transport assist), Edward Oliverre (taxi driver from downtown to Annalee, to Clement Payne), Aug 15 taxi driver, Debbie (taxi driver to airport on 16 Aug).
Individuals I planned to speak with but did not: UWI Security staff Jerome Alexander and Amy Austin. Meetings requested, not granted: Alessandra Cummins (Director, Barbados Museum), John King (Minister of Culture, former Calypsonian), Francisco Fernández Peña (Cuban Ambassador)
I am conducting research about the public history practices of three cities that have experienced slavery, colonialism, and independence or a post-slavery/colonial era. This will be a comparative examination of the ways that three cities deeply affected by slavery and colonialism, and representing distinct points along the transatlantic trade, have presented their historical narratives in public spaces since the end of slavery or colonial rule. I hope this research will provide a context for current efforts to memorialize Black histories in post-slavery/postcolonial cities that include both the economic promise of heritage tourism and the need for pursuing both truth and reconciliation. Justice is harder.
The idea arose from the public history work that I have done in Richmond, Virginia, facilitation of a sister city relationship between Richmond and Ségou, Mali, and recent studies of the history of the Atlantic trade in the establishment of Barbados, and it’s capital city. Each has its experiences as black societies created by the Atlantic slave trade that experienced a liberation process (independence in anglophone Barbados [1966] and francophone Mali [1960], emancipation/abolition [1865] in the United States) and yet still struggles, to varying degrees, under the control of entrenched or legacy white (European or U.S.) economic interests. Each city has histories of resistance to slavery and oppression, celebrations of liberation and self-determination or progress in the face of adversity due to racism or white supremacy, or of values that Black people choose to honor in public places that might differ from former slave-owners, colonizers and those who accommodated their interests.
While in Barbados, I plan to
- Explore and document the physical landscape for its monuments, markers, and ritual and special events;
- Conduct audio interviews with residents about their feelings about their country’s history and the way it is represented in the public sphere, its relationship to their current lives and critical social issues;
- Access archives and other sources as recommended. See Proposed Sources below.
- Prepare a progression and summary of my findings in the form of a blog, https://sketchingbarbados.blospot.com, and preliminary ideas for their inclusion into the overall project.
Proposed Sources
- Newspapers
- The Barbados Advocate, https://www.barbadosadvocate.com/ (est. 1895)
- The Daily Nation, http://www.nationnews.com/ (est. 1973)
- https://grenadanationalarchives.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/caribbean-research-databases/
- Jerome S. Handler resources from http://jeromehandler.org/
- Barbados Museum and Historical Society
- Barbados Archives
Many thanks are due to the inspiration, guidance and mentorship of many people, many scholars, willing to share their experiences, expertise and networks of friends and colleagues in order that I be another better educated human who will, in turn, pay it forward. For this particular VCU Study Abroad Program: Bernard Moitt, Tia Moitt, Kojenwa and Thandika, our guest lecturers (Richard Goodridge, Pedro Welch, and Karl Watson), Aaron Kamugisha, Alvin Thompson, Autumn Rain, and this list will grow (see below) as I have more people to meet! Special thanks go to those in our on-the-ground cohort: Nicholas Frech, Elna Murray Springer, Al, Danny and Faye (whose last names I still don't know! and the members of our study abroad cohort who are teaching me a lot about framework. Extra special thanks to our hosts at UWI Frank Worrell Residence Halls and Ms. Marva, who does what no-one but family should do for kin!!
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My last formal interview, the only one I actually recorded, was 74 minutes spent with David Commissiong at the Clement Payne Cultural Centre on Wednesday, August 15, the afternoon before the end of our sojourn in Barbados.
About recorded interviews: Not using the tool I brought with me for this very purpose was truly a mistake, though I had a process. I had decided I ought to have initial conversations with people who were as yet unidentified and then plan for longer interviews that would be recorded, after I had determined what my interview questions would actually be. I knew the initial conversations would be open-ended precisely because they were introductory. I wanted that open-endedness because the framework of the project depends on understanding Barbadian perspectives--perspectives I could only know superficially through prior research. This plan necessitates returning to the island or planning to meet with them should they travel to the states. I think I understand now that I should have recorded the Barbadians I spoke to circumstantially because it is most likely I will never see them again (contact information notwithstanding, the risk is greatest here).
About recorded interviews: Not using the tool I brought with me for this very purpose was truly a mistake, though I had a process. I had decided I ought to have initial conversations with people who were as yet unidentified and then plan for longer interviews that would be recorded, after I had determined what my interview questions would actually be. I knew the initial conversations would be open-ended precisely because they were introductory. I wanted that open-endedness because the framework of the project depends on understanding Barbadian perspectives--perspectives I could only know superficially through prior research. This plan necessitates returning to the island or planning to meet with them should they travel to the states. I think I understand now that I should have recorded the Barbadians I spoke to circumstantially because it is most likely I will never see them again (contact information notwithstanding, the risk is greatest here).
SCHOLARS Richard Goodridge (labor and African history), Alvin Thompson (by phone, history professor emeritus), Pedro Welch, Aaron Kamugisha, Natalie McGuire and Kevin Farmer (Barbados Museum), Karl Watson (walking tour of bridgetown). ARTISTS Annalee Davis (Rutgers alum, "the plantation"), Jamal Ifill (glassblower), Ricky ____ (John Moore Bar). ACTIVIST David Commissiong (Clement Payne Cultural Centre). INDIVIDUALS Al _____, Elna Murray Springer, Michael and Cyntra (Nick's friends), Wayne Ward (Nick's friend, transport assist), Edward Oliverre (taxi driver from downtown to Annalee, to Clement Payne), Aug 15 taxi driver, Debbie (taxi driver to airport on 16 Aug).
Individuals I planned to speak with but did not: UWI Security staff Jerome Alexander and Amy Austin. Meetings requested, not granted: Alessandra Cummins (Director, Barbados Museum), John King (Minister of Culture, former Calypsonian), Francisco Fernández Peña (Cuban Ambassador)
