VIRTUAL Barcelona
Abstract
Quakertown Stories was a interdisciplinary project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities at Texas Woman’s University that incorporated the history of Quakertown, a prosperous Black community forcibly displaced in 1921, into courses across the College of Arts and Sciences. Questions that guided our project were: 1) How might TWU and the greater Denton community (re)discover the history of Quakertown through scholarship in a variety of disciplinary perspectives? 2) What strategies can faculty use to teach place-based histories about race in ways that are ethical and engage the local community? and 3) How can student research expand knowledge about Quakertown? The culminating event was a student showcase and town hall where students presented creative projects and scholarship that demonstrated the many modalities in which history can be made tangible and impact community members today. While the NEH grant period is complete, research continues in Libersat’s course 3D Modeling, where students are digitally reconstructing Quakertown. Students constructed digital models of historic buildings using primary source archival content, providing a rich example of how digital processes can contribute meaningfully to historic preservation of cultural heritage and enhance civic and community engagement. In this presentation, we will reflect upon and share larger themes and observations about the project, outcomes, and ongoing research. Stories like those of Quakertown are especially critical in this unique moment when the country and the world are steeped in significant conversations about past racial injustices that continue to influence the present. Project Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1atT-wxaootiOL8Fc8f8osL92t7PzrlxR/view?usp=sharing
Julie Libersat is an intermedia artist and Associate Professor of Art, Design, and Technology at Texas Woman’s University. Born in Kerala, India and raised in Philadelphia P.A., Libersat received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2003. She earned an MFA in New Media in 2016 as well as a Masters in Art Education in 2017, both from the University of North Texas. Libersat has exhibited artwork in the US and abroad, published in Studies in Art Education, and served as a Co-PI on a Humanities Connections grant from the National Endowment of Humanities.
Dr. Gretchen Busl is an Associate Professor of English and the Director of the Quality Enhancement Plan at Texas Woman’s University. She is a passionate advocate for public humanities work, with a particular focus on the role of narratives in society. She is a co-PI of the Women’s Thought Leadership project funded by the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership. Gretchen is also a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee of the International Society for the Study of Narrative and a founding co-host of the Narrative for Social Justice podcast.
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Wednesday 17th July, 2024