Events

Drawing on the perspectives of three scholars in different fields, this symposium explored the potential uses of oral history work for projects that are public facing, DEI-centered, and explicitly reparative. How does the practice of oral history change the ways we think about our audiences, our work with community partners, our research, and the potential impacts of our scholarship?

At the conclusion of the academic year 2023-2024, the IHP hosted a showcase that shared its progress to date and featured leaders of existing projects on the university’s past.

The University of Michigan’s Museum of Art presented “Free To Speak!,” a celebration of Black creativity, agency, and memory that served as the culminating events of the powerful exhibit Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina. The convening featured contemporary artists Theaster Gates and Adebunmi Gbadebo, National Book Award winning poet Nikky Finney, and social justice curator Monica O. Montgomery. Part storytelling, part scholarly convening, “Free To Speak!” focused on uplifting artistic practice, celebrating diverse perspectives, and inspiring institutions to repair racial injustices.

This event celebrating the Bentley Historical Library’s African American Student Project featured musical performances and a panel of African American alumni who shared their lived experiences at the university.

Near the conclusion of the winter 2023 term, the IHP hosted in-person forums on each of the university’s three campuses and a virtual forum open to all campuses. The forums provided participants with an opportunity to learn about the IHP and share feedback through small group discussions.

Over the past twenty years, scores of universities have committed themselves to uncovering and reckoning with their ties to slavery as well as broader histories of exclusion and discrimination at their institutions.