In 2017, I attended the Cornerstone Summer Institute, a residential program designed by the President’s Commission on Slavery at the University of Virginia for select high school students. The course promotes critical thinking about the the historical interpretations of slavery and enduring struggles for freedom. We visited an exhibit on slavery at James Madison’s Montpelier, “The Mere Distinction of Colour,” spoke with descendants of slaves at the once-segregated Jefferson School, and toured the site of an historically black neighborhood that was demolished wholesale for urban renewal in the 1960s. During the project, I developed a more complete understanding of slavery and its modern-day legacies, including the gentrification of cities, the unequal distribution of wealth, and continued segregation in local communities. I also learned valuable skills such as archaeological techniques, video composition, and editing.
The website for the Cornerstone Summer Institute is here. All images from the Cornerstone Summer Institute website.
