Biographical and Historical Note

WFU's Slavery, Race, and Memory Project was designed to guide the research, preservation, and communication accurately depicting the institution of slavery in the United States, and the University's relationship to slavery and its implications across WFU's history. The aim was to learn from the full truth of the past, take action to address past and present inequities in Wake Forest's community, and make this information available to other institutions and the public. The project aspired to be an intensive and sustained effort involving a series of conferences, public conversations, national speakers, and artistic and cultural performances.

It began during the 2016-2017 academic year as a group connected to the Office of the Provost to examine Wake Forest's story, to correct historical inaccuracies and acknowledging the University's dealings with slavery and its legacies. The group created a list of six possible courses of action: 1) join the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium, help understand and acknowledge the role enslaved peoples had in building and growing the University; 2) expand the initial planning committee to include a broader section of campus; 3) broaden the diversity of people interviewed for the Wake Forest Oral History Project for a fuller history of Wake Forest; 4) develop an interactive historical timeline that documents the University's history and connection to slavery and its legacies; 5) commission a Southern Historian to create a more accurate history of Wake Forest; 6) and plan for a series of academic conferences and several essays in a new Histories of Wake Forest volume.

The group was successful on one count, the University joined the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium in 2017. However, a few years later in 2018-2019 the Provost Office created the Slavery, Race, and Memory Project with a Steering Committee tasked with 1) developing a mission statement for the Project; 2) coordinating the University's work as a member of the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium; 3) implement an academically-centered approach to examine the history of slavery and its implications both on the original campus and in Winston-Salem.

Collection Overview

This collection documents WFU's Slavery, Race, and Memory Project. Materials in the collection include an annual report and a draft of the guiding principles of the project.

Collection Inventory

• Advising Committee on Naming: "Narrating the Past, Narrating Pro-Humanitate: Expanding the Narrative of WFU" guiding principles and letter  (circa 2020) box 1 folder 1
• Annual report  (2019-2020) box 1 folder 2

Summary Information

Repository

Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives

Title

Office of the Provost. Slavery, Race, and Memory Project Records

ID

RG22.19

Date [inclusive]

2019-2020

Quantity

1 half-document box

Extent

0.21  Linear Feet

Administrative Information

Publication Information

Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2024 March

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for researchers. 

Copyright Notice

The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. 

Preferred Citation

Office of the Provost. Slavery, Race, and Memory Project Records (RG22.19), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. 

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