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July 19, 2025

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Education WC

Public meetings planned to discuss landmark celebrating African American history and culture in the Bay region

October 22, 2024 by Washington College News Service 3 Comments

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Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience is honored to host a bus tour and series of dialogues with experts of national and regional prominence as part of Art + Community + History: Creating a Landmark Together—a Maryland State Arts Council-funded process aimed at furthering robust public engagement in the planning for a major artwork on the Custom House lawn along the Chester River in Chestertown, MD. The forthcoming artwork will celebrate and honor the full arc of four centuries of African American history in the Chesapeake Bay region, rather than simply commemorate or atone. Interested parties from across the region are encouraged to participate in this community-driven planning for the art proposal and eventual installation.

At various events starting this November, Jaelon T. Moaney, Starr Center Deputy Director, will lead conversations with a wide array of experts in cultural preservation, contemporary public art and collective memory.

“The notion of reimagining is both an invitation and a challenge, one with a singular prerequisite: authenticity,” said Moaney. “While the gravity surrounding these forthcoming opportunities to unpack longstanding and evolving narratives cannot be understated, I’m most excited by how this process has already realized a justice-bearing capacity to depolarize inquiry, expand possibility and activate genuine acknowledgement of multiple truths.”

The Art + Community + History process began this past August with the first of two regional bus tours engaging Delmarva Peninsula community stakeholders whose insights and efforts steering aligned journeys proved invaluable resources to participants. The second all-day bus tour to Philadelphia will occur on Saturday, November 23. The tour is open to the public, but space is limited so registration is required to participate. Three public talks have been planned with the goal of broadening intergenerational dialogue and empowering participants through organic reimagining. Each is free and open to the public. They include:

Monday, November 4: Reimagining How and Why We Remember

An empowering in-person dialogue exploring the role of public art in cultural stewardship on the Eastern Shore, in Maryland and across America with Brent Leggs, Executive Director, African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund & Senior Vice President, National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. in Underwood Lobby in the Gibson Center for the Arts at Washington College with the presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Decker Theater.

Wednesday, December 4: Reimagining How and Why We Reckon

This virtual event aims to be a distinctive dialogue exploring Chesapeake-based institutions of higher education reckoning with legacies of systemic racism and slavery through recent artworks which center community healing. The event will be moderated by Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw, a 2004 Washington College graduate, in conversation with St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda Jordan, University of Virginia School of Architecture’s Andrea Roberts, and The College of William & Mary Lemon Project Public Historian for Research & Programs Jajuan Johnson.

The virtual discussion will begin at 5:30 p.m. EST. A log-in link will be shared ahead of the event.

Monday, February 3: Reimagining How and Why We Relate

An insightful dialogue exploring collective memory and controversy forged through public monuments, public memorials, and public art in American culture with Erika Doss, Professor of Art History and the Edith O’Donnell Distinguished Chair in the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History at the University of Texas at Dallas.

This event will be in-person and is scheduled to take place at 6:00 p.m. Location and registration details are forthcoming.

The public is invited to join the Starr Center for these informative and community minded events. To receive event invitations, information and updates for these and all Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience events and programs, please subscribe to our newsletter.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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Letters to Editor

  1. Margaret Nuttle Castellani says

    October 28, 2024 at 5:25 PM

    I am a proud WC graduate, class of 67 followed by a MA in 77, the one in English lit the other, American history.At 79 I spend considerable time looking.I have late realized my parents were white supremacists/confederates. I am not,never have been. I don’t know how I knew as a child the the people in the kitchen lacked only a real education and opportunity.
    Blacks and whites have accomplished a lot in the 70 years I have been participating in The Struggle tho we still have aways to go, all of us.At this moment, truth does not seem as strong as it needs to be. I hope what you are doing will be an enhancing endeavor.

    Reply
  2. Sarah Kilmon says

    June 10, 2025 at 2:12 PM

    This seems like a really cool project. Hopefully I can make one these events!!

    Reply
  3. Barbara Rein says

    July 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM

    The continuation of Art+Community+History will help on the road to Truth.

    Reply

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