The Preservation Society of Newport County’s Post

Our third and final Spring lecture - "Eclectic and Independent: Black Self-Advocacy Strategies, 1870 to 1930" - will take place next week on Thursday, June 6th at Rosecliff Mansion. This is the third in a series of lectures in conjunction with our latest exhibition “Gilded Age Newport in Color” produced in partnership with Rhode Island Black Heritage Society. Conventional narratives of Black politics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries tend to focus on two ideological choices: (1) Republican vs. Democrat, with African Americans siding with the party of Lincoln; and (2) (Booker T.) Washingtonian vs. DuBoisian, with African Americans preferring one of the two. Yet in Newport, there is evidence of a more idiosyncratic, localized and broader set of political strategies promoted by local Black leaders. Bard College Professor Dr. Myra Armstead will set forth the menu of options pursued by Black Newporters who gave their own meaning to what collectively may be called independent politics. This lecture will be hosted live in person and via Zoom video conference. Tickets and info available here -> https://lnkd.in/e_BCQvEe

Prescott College will be closed today, Wednesday, June 19, in recognition of Juneteenth, a day for us to reflect on the social, systemic, legal, educational, and political inequities that Black Americans have experienced throughout our nation’s history. For more information about what Juneteenth is and why we observe it, we invite you to read this article on how to educate others and ourselves about the importance of Juneteenth: https://lnkd.in/dpg8WjX

On Juneteenth, we released the "State of Black Cincinnati: The Journey to Parity" report. This comprehensively examines the disparities faced by Black residents in Cincinnati since it was last published in 2015. From socio-economic challenges and systemic inequities, The "State of Black Cincinnati: The Journey to Parity" is more than words on a page. It's a call to action. Watch a recap of our press conference and download the report at https://bit.ly/3VS8s7u.

This is why #representationmatters. The findings of this study adds to the growing body of evidence that Black students having access to Black teachers matters to Black students outcomes. Read more of the research at https://lnkd.in/gRrQhDjE

Please join the University of Nevada, Reno today as we celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans following the American Civil War. On June 19, 1865, over 250,000 enslaved Black Americans were informed by Union troops in Galveston, Texas that they were free by executive decree, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1963. This moment in American history came to be known as Juneteenth, and has been celebrated by Black Americans for decades. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Last year, Governor Joe Lombardo signed AB 140 into law, making Juneteenth a state holiday in Nevada. As we celebrate Juneteenth, let us continue to take important lessons from our history, and honor the accomplishments of generations of Black Americans who have made invaluable contributions to our country. University of Nevada, Reno offices will be closed today and no classes will be held in observance. #Juneteenth

In this paper, Kenneth A. Wesson (CAAASA) offers a timeline summary of how American history impacted Black education. These political events, legislation, court decisions, and cultural and social practices have intersected continuously to undeniably shape the American story and Black experience. https://bit.ly/3UMl6n5

#BlackEducatorsMatter edited by Darrius Stanley, PhD illuminates the efforts of Black educators to fight oppression and institutionalized racism in schools. Find out more about this book and others on race and equity here: https://bit.ly/3SG3byj

Happy Black History Month, everyone! I am incredibly proud to embrace my Afro-Latina heritage, celebrating Black achievements, Black hope, and Black struggles not only this month but every month. As many of you are aware, my research interests center around Black political behavior, particularly examining how Black political figures frame issues disproportionately affecting Black constituents. This year, within my graduate program, I've had the opportunity to delve deeper into scholarship on Black political behavior, exploring themes such as oppositional behavior and Black performativity. I invite you to visit my website to explore these works further. One of the featured pieces is an analysis comparing two of former President Obama's speeches from 2015: one delivered at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) conference and the other at the State of the Union Address. In this paper, I argue that despite addressing similar issues in both speeches, President Obama employs distinct framing strategies. Drawing on Michael Dyson's theoretical framework outlined in "Entertaining Race," I contend that President Obama's differential performance in predominantly Black spaces reflects Black political behavior as a form of Black performativity shaped by societal expectations. The findings suggest that President Obama was more likely to address issues as Black issues when speaking to predominantly Black audiences compared to addressing the nation as a whole. Additionally, the analysis reveals that President Obama was more inclined to use slang and comedic phrases when addressing primarily Black audiences. This study contributes to the existing literature by examining Black political behavior, particularly focusing on the rhetorical performativity of former President Barack Obama. You can find the link to the paper on my website. Once again, Happy Black History Month to all! https://lnkd.in/e-CW52Cb

American brilliance is often rooted within Black communities, and our communities hold stories more robust than our history books typically share to introduce millions of children to U.S. history. This is why I work in historic preservation. Every day I have an opportunity to move beyond the textbooks into real world examples of freedom, ingenuity, and brilliance. Black history is frequently relegated to the margins of the national conversation. Most of our history isn’t covered in textbooks; and historical information about Black people is often locked into niche literature. But there’s something about visual representations of our history that make it feel more alive; and Black history has always been a living, breathing thing for me. As a native of Waco, Texas, I enjoy several aspects of the traditional Black, southern experience–family, Black music, working with my hands, catfish, dominoes. It is, perhaps, the richness of these experiences that moves me as a historic preservationist. They have the same capacity for storytelling and facilitating community building. All of our history is a counternarrative to the story of American exceptionalism. Expanding this narrative helps in better understanding the humanity of Black people through our lived experiences from the stories we tell, to the places we built.

Not our City. Not our Mayor. Not our people. Not our community. Words Matter. #LestWeForget In today's episode, we delve into a topic often deeply ingrained in the fabric of our society: the history of derogatory language used to assault Black people and the Black community. We see this language, thinly veiled, and weaponized by politicians and public figures, who seek to undermine Black officials and discredit their achievements. This includes, the recent UNACCEPTABLE and insensitive comments made regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, where there is a co-opting of this tragic moment of loss of life to voice ignorant views on diversity initiatives and wield remarks to assault our Baltimore officials. And, the recent “slip of tongue” usage of a racial slur by a Maryland senate candidate. No longer will we quietly tolerate the assaultive words and actions that seek to diminish Black people and Black communities. We will challenge the derogatory language with ABC unapologetically leading in doing so.   Let’s continue the conversation, share our stories, and stay tuned for more insightful explorations of Black history and its impact on our world today. Remember, history should not be forgotten – it should be understood.