Answering the Question, "Where Did We Come From?" Through the Collaborative Efforts of the Fort Ward/Seminary African American Descendant Society and Archaeologists in Alexandria, Virginia

Summary

"We’re still here" has been the theme of the efforts of the Fort Ward/Seminary African American Descendant Society to incorporate the history of their community into the public interpretation of Fort Ward Park and Museum. However, "where did we come from?" remains an important question that has yet to be answered through archaeological and historical research. In this paper, Descendant Society leader Adrienne Washington will discuss the efforts of descendants to answer this question and why it is a driving factor of the research efforts of community members. Archaeologist, Mary Furlong will provide a preliminary review of the artifacts and documents that have been uncovered in trying to answer this important question and the struggle to try to answer questions established by the Descendant Society.  This paper will show the importance of collaboration between professional archaeologists and descendant community members in order to produce rich interpretations of the past. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• What’s at Stake? Archaeological Experience Examined through Co-Authorship with Stakeholders   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 476