Univ. unveils plan to examine slavery
Ben Slivnick
Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: News
University faculty and officials said yesterday they are seeking to answer long-standing questions about whether slaves once labored on the campus and plan to produce a report on the issue next year.
Unlike other universities' committee-based efforts to investigate uncomfortable historical puzzles regarding slaves' role in establishing antebellum campuses, administrators here have approved a two-semester history course that will charge 30 undergraduate students with conducting research on the subject.
History professor Ira Berlin, who will lead the class alongside a doctoral student, said that although the history of slavery on the campus has long been unclear, "that this campus and our founders were a part of a slave society should be no great surprise to us."
"If slaves didn't build the buildings, they made the bricks that built the buildings," Berlin said. "And if they didn't make the bricks that built the buildings, then they hauled the clay. And if they didn't haul the clay, they made the wagons that hauled the clay."
Berlin hopes next year's students will uncover more specifics to be included in a report to be presented to university President Dan Mote.
The university's plan to issue a report comes after black faculty and others' criticisms of what has been called a hesitant approach to digging deeper into the university's past. A documentary film produced in connection with the university's 150th anniversary in 2006 acknowledged Maryland Agricultural College founder Charles Calvert's ties to slavery, but resources have long been too scarce to make any more substantial claims.
A historical document provided to a Diamondback reporter by history professor emeritus George H. Callcott, however, implied slavery was commonplace on the campus before the Civil War, and the resulting article intensified pressure to address the issue, Berlin said yesterday. Officials met to plan how to address the issue during the summer.
"As I get around the campus, there seems to be a sense that the university doesn't have a real serious concern about trying to get an answer," university Spokesman Millree Williams told Diamondback editors at a meeting yesterday. "From my view, it's really important that the university put the resources into it and see what we can do."
Unlike other universities' committee-based efforts to investigate uncomfortable historical puzzles regarding slaves' role in establishing antebellum campuses, administrators here have approved a two-semester history course that will charge 30 undergraduate students with conducting research on the subject.
History professor Ira Berlin, who will lead the class alongside a doctoral student, said that although the history of slavery on the campus has long been unclear, "that this campus and our founders were a part of a slave society should be no great surprise to us."
"If slaves didn't build the buildings, they made the bricks that built the buildings," Berlin said. "And if they didn't make the bricks that built the buildings, then they hauled the clay. And if they didn't haul the clay, they made the wagons that hauled the clay."
Berlin hopes next year's students will uncover more specifics to be included in a report to be presented to university President Dan Mote.
The university's plan to issue a report comes after black faculty and others' criticisms of what has been called a hesitant approach to digging deeper into the university's past. A documentary film produced in connection with the university's 150th anniversary in 2006 acknowledged Maryland Agricultural College founder Charles Calvert's ties to slavery, but resources have long been too scarce to make any more substantial claims.
A historical document provided to a Diamondback reporter by history professor emeritus George H. Callcott, however, implied slavery was commonplace on the campus before the Civil War, and the resulting article intensified pressure to address the issue, Berlin said yesterday. Officials met to plan how to address the issue during the summer.
"As I get around the campus, there seems to be a sense that the university doesn't have a real serious concern about trying to get an answer," university Spokesman Millree Williams told Diamondback editors at a meeting yesterday. "From my view, it's really important that the university put the resources into it and see what we can do."
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 21
G
posted 2/07/08 @ 10:49 AM EST
What would this report accomplish?
Get real
posted 2/07/08 @ 2:42 PM EST
You have to be kidding me. I bet this "study" will 100% show slaves "helped" build this university. And back when it was being built slaves were used to do this kind of work. (Continued…)
Testudo II
posted 2/07/08 @ 7:17 PM EST
If they are going to examine slavery, they should start with their own - slavery to sin! (the worst kind)
For further information, consult a Protestant Bible (Geneva or King James are sufficiently accurate translations into the English language). (Continued…)
Mama
posted 2/07/08 @ 9:19 PM EST
What an incredible waste of precious dollars.
Colin
posted 2/07/08 @ 10:50 PM EST
To all of you who are against this project, get over it. America is so scared of revisiting it's past because they're so ashamed of it. As a white male I sometimes marvel at how reluctant other white people are to even acknowledge the shitty things we put black people through for hundreds of years. (Continued…)
Philly Terp
posted 2/08/08 @ 10:35 AM EST
Colin - if anyone needs to "get over it" - it is you and your ilk.
If anyone has open mind sufficient to probe back into their family history, they will find injustice, oppression, and slavery at the hands of someone. (Continued…)
God Ginrai
posted 2/08/08 @ 6:51 PM EST
I'm sure this is like soooo important and all, but it just makes me realize how much of a Liberal fool I was to vote for O'Malley, who no doubt approved this to waste all the money that he claims we "don't" have. (Continued…)
Interesting
posted 2/11/08 @ 4:07 PM EST
In response to those opposing the project, this is a major step for the university and the African American community. Blacks have built America as well as the University of Maryland; and the effort to give them this acknowledgement is worth the resources. (Continued…)
Mr. Applebutter
posted 2/11/08 @ 4:48 PM EST
Ok as long as we can waste tax dollars to see what historical landmarks were built by heterosexual white Christian men. Oh wait, that would be [insert victim here]ist. (Continued…)
James
posted 2/11/08 @ 11:58 PM EST
It doesn't matter if we didn't start off on a level playing field. NONE of the African-Americans in this country now were ever slaves. 1% of 1% of white people owned slaves. (Continued…)
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