On June 11, 2023, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored Wendi Manuel-Scott and George Oberle with the 2024 Juneteenth Proclamation. This recognition not only celebrates their leadership and the outstanding work conducted by the Center for Mason Legacies (CML) at George Mason University but also underscores the significant impact members of our academic university are making in the field of history, education, and social justice.
Professor Wendi Manuel-Scott, a Professor of Integrative Studies and Associate Director of CML, and George Oberle, the Director of CML, History Librarian, and Associate Professor in the Department of History and Art History, have led the way in transformative research and teaching at the Center. Their collaborative efforts, along with a dedicated team of doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students, have advanced our understanding of housing inequity in Fairfax County and demonstrated the power of ethical historical research practices in driving meaningful change.
Over the past two years, the CML team has forged a crucial partnership with the OneFairfax team in the Fairfax County Government. This collaboration has allowed them to delve into the historical roots of housing disparities, showcasing the practical application of the Center's mission to uncover and address the legacies of inequality through rigorous research, innovative teaching, and community engagement.
The award affirms CML's commitment to transforming how faculty and students engage with and learn from the past through critically affective research methodologies and practices. The Center exemplifies Mason's promise—an "all together different" academic experience that defies traditional boundaries.
July 18, 2024