Invisible History at CCBC
When we think about American history, rarely do we uncover the why and the how of past actions and thought processes. Why were black people lynched? What does it mean to be on death row and then exonerated? What did justice mean to people from disadvantaged backgrounds? These are questions that require further discussions, conversations, and reflection. CCBC’s event series Invisible History aimed to uncover truths and reframe the lives and legacies of people who played essential roles in our history.
The event series began in January this year, with the goal of introducing students to topics within the realm of Invisible History in Maryland. At the end of the series, students selected a case to explore with the assistance of CCBC’s librarians and English faculty mentors in order to hone their critical thinking, research, and writing skills.
To kick off the series, students were asked to define the term justice – a polarizing topic for so many and yet such a relevant question in this day and age. The following seminar then covered the complex and disturbing topic of lynching. Students were introduced to specific cases of racially motivated lynchings and wrongful convictions, including death row cases.
Stories of young Black men that were ambushed by sometimes up to 30 white men and tortured, terrorized and eventually murdered made a strong impact on all the students who attended. One student said, “This experience was emotional and very educational. I never knew much about lynching. This experience taught me so much and gave me an experience that I would have never had if I did not join this winter seminar.”
Another student reflected on her own past and the parallels that might have occurred by saying, “While researching William Burns, I often thought about my father who grew up in rural North Carolina with parents who were sharecroppers. I’ve wondered – does my father hold a memory of someone who was taken from their family and friends the way William Burns was taken away from his?”
CCBC, among other universities, is also recognizing the history of their campuses; that its cherished modern buildings and parking lots were once built by enslaved people. Michelle Wright, a professor of history and Africana studies at CCBC spoke with WPYR News about how she incorporates the history of their campus into her teaching. “They’re shocked, and especially when you talk about the mansion because that’s the first thing you see when you drive up the hill,” Wright said. “And you say, you know, that was the big house. That was the house where the owners lived.” Clara Weaver, a student at CCBC who will graduate with an associate’s degree in general studies, has been participating as part of the school’s invisible history project. She says, “It was eye-opening to me to just see how I’ve benefited from their labor,” Weaver said. “They built all of these buildings on campus and they kept the estate running which helped it to eventually end up in the college’s hands which let me go to college there.”
By highlighting the history of CCBC’s campus, professors such as Michelle Wright hope to bring to light the stories that are no and should no longer be invisible. She emphasizes, “We do walk upon this land,” Wright said. “This history, it isn’t invisible. You can actually look at it. You can actually see some of the things that were built and you can imagine some of the stories.”
Other events in the series taught included a student panel on National Memorial for Peace and Justice (History of Racial Terror Learning Community) and The Innocence Project, where students were introduced to stories of exonerees, such as that of Shujaa Graham who was wrongly framed in 1973 for the murder of a prison guard and consequently sent to San Quentin’s death row. Stories such as these were included to show how the historical effects of bias, segregation, and racism are still prevalent in modern society, despite the abolition of slavery centuries ago, and to place America’s antebellum past into a more complete historical context.
Students were then invited to select topics that aligned with the theme of invisible history and reflect upon the subjects that had been discussed. They then could present their findings, on the CCBC Invisible History website. For those who participated successfully, students were rewarded with a $750 stipend.
The program was a success and the caliber of students and lecturers was outstanding. CCBC hosted over a dozen scholars, artists, and guest speakers who contributed to the program through virtual and in-person lectures, presentations, site tours, readings, and/or Q&A sessions over the winter seminar. Going forward, we hope to engage and inspire more students, faculty, and staff from a variety of disciplines to contribute to this effort. Learning about our past is incredibly important and we are here to provide any and every opportunity to do so.