Professor Susan Kern, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor and Expert in Early America/US, in the Department of History at the College of William and Mary, will speak on the topic, From House Museum to Plantation Site: Rediscovering the Landscapes of Slavery. The preservation of presidential home sites helped define the role of foundations and non-profits as the apparatus of historic preservation and an authoritative voice in the public history discussions about the founders, and now slavery. One does not need to visit Monticello or Montpelier to have been affected by the historic preservation movement that ensured the status of these sites as museums and helped create a robust and increasingly democratized preservation movement in the 20th century. These museums take on a similar role in their work on slavery and race that can help broaden and democratize our understanding of American racial slavery and how its very real legacies affect our social, cultural, and political landscape today. These sites sponsored and field tested methods of architectural research, paint analysis, site-specific curatorial practice, and historical archaeology and challenge us to defend why the Founders are important in the public imagination about the American promise.
After services, from 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM, we will open Zoom for informal general discussion, as well as an opportunity to join a conversation group with Dr. Susan Kern.
Please note: this event takes place via Zoom. To request the Zoom link, please email admin@lakeshoreunitarian.org.
About Lake Shore Unitarian Society:
Lake Shore Unitarian Society is an open-minded community that inspires you to find your own spiritual path. We differentiate ourselves with lay-led Sunday services facilitated by member volunteers, a youth Religious Explorations program based upon Unitarian Universalist principles, and outstanding musical performances.
We embrace values shared by the world’s major religions and a set of principles that include justice, peace, compassion, and the inherent worth of every human being.
Whether you believe in God or not, or you are not sure, you’ll be welcomed warmly. We come together every Sunday to think about life’s “big questions,” support one another in finding our spiritual paths, and get inspired not just to talk about our values but to live them day to day.
ALL ARE WELCOME!