Black Studies Exhibits Focus on the Underground
A part of the Black Studies Underground and Slave Narrative exhibit presented in Lovejoy Library.
Lovejoy Library hosted pieces of the Black Studies Underground Freedoms gallery exhibit Tuesday, October 5, 2010.
Dr. Howard Rambsy uses these exhibitions as a tool for courses in Black Studies. This particular exhibit focused on Fredrick Douglas and the slave narratives.
In several of the past class sessions, the students focused on slave narratives. “The reaction to slave narratives, hearing them and reading them, has opened their eyes to what slavery actually was,” Rambsy stated.
The exhibits are viewed mainly by students from the courses in Black Studies. Several students expressed gratitude to their professors. “I didn’t know the project existed,” one student declared.
“These boards are powerful statements,” stated Amanda Miller a junior English major in an African American Literature class. “The advertisement board is most interesting. If I had seen just that somewhere on campus, it would’ve brought me to this exhibit” she concluded.
The exhibits by the Black Studies have pulled students from other fields of study, also. “I heard about the event from a friend and I was really interested to see the different pieces,” remarked freshman Kinesiology major Jewell Miller. “I was really interested in seeing [the displays]. I have read a lot of other material [on slavery]” asserted De’Liyuon Hamb, a junior Computer Science major.
Reactions written by students are included in the exhibit. “Reading this book has changed my perspective towards slavery in many ways. I really felt the change when Douglass wrote about slaves not knowing their age and birthdays. I also felt the change when women of the plantation were raped and the children were not even recognized by their white fathers. I do not know what I would do in that situation” is one perspective offered by a SOAR student.
The exhibit is part of a larger project that will become a study room for Black Studies.
The posters display perspectives from students and pictures on the topic.
Juniors Joe Foster and Amanda Miller pause to consider the information on presentation boards at the Black Studies exhibit.
Three SIUE students delve into the Underground and Slave Narrative project boards.
Filed Under: Black Studies
Another great exhibit by Black Studies and Professor Rambsy.