The Multi-faceted Approach to African American Archaeology under Larry McKee’s Mentorship at The Hermitage

Summary

The historical archaeology internship program under Larry McKee’s leadership from 1988 to 1999 exhibited several key components which characterized it as one of the preeminent models in the Southeast. First, McKee grounded his vision of developing the program securely in the people themselves, the enslaved African Americans, whose lives and work made The Hermitage possible. An awareness and sensitivity to understanding and recovering their past contributions infused the structure of the program, including the readings and activities which informed participant understanding of African American history and archaeology. There was also an expectation that interns actively engaged with the public to educate them about the process and the people.  Speaking personally, McKee’s pedagogy profoundly affected my experience as a volunteer and an intern during two different summers working under him, and later, as a field supervisor at the property, and ultimately proved foundational for my career as an history educator.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018   •
• The Past, Present, and Future of Archaeological Research at The Hermitage: Legacies of Larry McKee and Sam Smith

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 459