HIST 397: Topics in Public History

HIST 397-002: Public History and Racial Justice
(Spring 2023)

09:00 AM to 05:00 PM UWFS

Online

Section Information for Spring 2023

This multi-disciplinary course focuses on co-creating archives and co-creating digital humanities projects with established Black cultural institutions through a repatriatory, reparative, post-custodial, and community-centered model. Together, we will cultivate critical historical thinking and transferable humanities skills by discussing closely adjacent topics such as Blackness, anti-Blackness, racial terror lynching, power and the production of the past, archival silences, and salvaging, agency, resistance, lived experience, and liberation.

Led by instructors connected to the Carter School’s John Mitchell, Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race, students will further support the establishment of a local truth commission and the mission of the Archives for Racial and Cultural Healing (ARCH™). The ARCH aims to heal the wounds born of past and present oppressive structures by supporting and empowering a dispersed network of community-specific, historically Black cultural institutions that will initiate a narrative transformation of our nation and world.

Students will contribute to the establishment of the Archive for Cultural and Racial Healing by conducting human rights investigations using Gail Christopher’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation framework and Michelle Sotero’s Conceptual Model of Historical Trauma, concept of “mass trauma experience,” and the subsequent tactics of domination, social control and subjugation imposed on two historically Black communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

NOTE: Hybrid, online course (meeting online W 4:30-7:10 p.m.) with an off-campus field study option over spring break March 13-19. Travel is covered and students receive a stipend. Contact Dr. Chavis at cchavis2@gmu.edu with questions.

HIST 397-002 is a hybrid section with online meetings and a spring break course option. Travel is covered and students receive a stipend. Contact instructor at cchavis2@gmu.edu with any questions.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Introduces students to issues and methods in preserving history and presenting historical information to a variety of audiences through museum exhibits, websites, public commemorations, and other means. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Schedule Type: Lec/Sem #1, Lec/Sem #2, Lec/Sem #3, Lec/Sem #4, Lec/Sem #5, Lec/Sem #6, Lec/Sem #7, Lec/Sem #8, Lec/Sem #9, Lecture, Sem/Lec #10, Sem/Lec #11, Sem/Lec #12, Sem/Lec #13, Sem/Lec #14, Sem/Lec #15, Sem/Lec #16, Sem/Lec #17, Sem/Lec #18
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.