Linking Black Studies and Archaeology through an Intersectional Materialism

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Deepening Archaeology's Engagement with Black Studies" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeology is an inherently materialist pursuit linking history to the production of the world in which we live. Black intellectuals have played a critical role in the development of the social theories we use to explain that productive process. This paper will briefly outline some of these historical contributions to social theory and the ways in which they shape the lenses through which we perceive that past. It will then define intersectional materialism and highlight its distinction from other materialisms that have risen in popularity over the past decade. The paper will conclude with a brief case study comparing the homeplaces of enslaved and free households on and around the property of the Montpelier Foundation in Orange County, Virginia. It will specifically cite the material evidence of architecture, literacy, and visibility for each household and the forces behind the decisions that shaped the material culture associated with each site.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Deepening Archaeology's Engagement with Black Studies   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37692.0