This on-site work at MOBOT, along with some wider reading on the
representation of African American history, really helped me to understand
where our work fits in terms of the current push and pull to provide a voice to
those who have been silenced. Our goal of bringing in the stories of enslaved
people through an exhibit shows how storytelling connects visitors to
historical experiences.
One thing I have learned from the project so far is about putting
personal accounts into historical contexts. One does not talk of enslaved
people just as workers, but also as main characters who existed under
repressive regimes that they endured and resisted. This perspective informs
our views on their roles and rights, and therefore, we make it more
interesting in the exhibit.
As I think about deepening our project, I am conscious of the fact that
readings dealing with the complexities of slavery and its legacies are quite
indispensable in our work. These will deal with the economic, social, and
cultural relevance of slavery and thus provide a framework within which our
exhibit shall be set in a greater historical context a fact quite helpful in
creating past and present connections to help enrich the tales we tell.
I am equally interested in the methodologies that have been employed
by other projects, focusing on personal stories and community bonding. How
to incorporate oral histories and first-person narratives effectively is
what could inspire our approach and further engage visitors with an exhibit.
Synthesizing my on-site experience with broader research has
unraveled challenges and opportunities in our project. It provides a wider
meaning of the role of collaboration and contextualization in presenting
historical narratives. I look forward to discussing these insights further in
class and exploring how we can apply these lessons to enhance our exhibit
at MOBOT.