Join us for a timely and resonant national conversation with keynote speaker Annette Gordon-Reed, Pulitzer Prize winner and renowned historian.
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 04, 2024 (Globe Newswire) — The Witte Museum proudly announces the 8th Annual Texas Conference. The conference is a dynamic event that highlights new research and fosters meaningful conversations about the state’s history. This year’s conference, to be held on December 5th and 6th, 2024, is themed “Anthem to Juneteenth: Slavery in Texas.” This timely topic resonates nationally and reflects a broader conversation about race and history, and one that remains deeply important but underexplored in Texas. It is also important for understanding the past of Through expert presentations and new scholarship, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how slavery shaped Texas, specifically how the labor of enslaved people contributed to the expansion of the Texas economy You can. This conference promises to be an essential and transformative contribution to the ongoing debate about America’s past and future.
This year’s conference is co-hosted with our partners at the San Antonio African American Community Archives & Museum (SAAACAM) and the Smithsonian Institution’s initiative “Our Shared Future: Reflecting on our Racial Past.” Masu. This effort to explore Texas’ untold stories resulted in the award-winning exhibition “Black Cowboys: An American Story,” sponsored by Bank of America.
The conference will be headlined by Annette Gordon-Reed, MacArthur genius, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, and author of the New York Times bestseller On Juneteenth. Gordon Reed, known for his groundbreaking work in bringing Juneteenth into the national conversation, reflects on the significance of this historic day and its continuing impact on America’s fight for racial justice. Give a keynote speech.
Gordon-Reed’s On Juneteenth weaves historical scholarship and personal memoir to provide a powerful story that explores the meaning of American freedom and progress. Named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post, Time, and NPR, her work illuminates complex and often overlooked aspects of Texas history and explores some of the most influential historians of our time. It solidified her status as an individual.
Words from Witte Museum CEO:
“At the Witte Museum, we are proud to lead and organize this conference that brings together leading scholars and the community to explore Texas history on such an important topic. This event leverages knowledge to reflect on the past. “Understanding the history and how it shaped the Texas we know today is a great opportunity to spark conversation and build a more informed future together,” said Witte Museum CEO and CEO. President Dirk Elmendorf said:
About the conference:
The 2024 Texas Conference will explore the fundamental role chattel slavery played in the formation and growth of Texas. The conference focuses on the lives of enslaved people as mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers, revealing stories of labor, law, resistance, family, and community.
Enslaved people worked on cotton and sugar plantations, but also as artisans such as blacksmiths and seamstresses, and as enslaved cowboys. Texas’ slave population grew from 5,000 in 1834 to 182,566 in 1861, making it the state’s fastest growing demographic. Enslaved people in Texas were freed on Juneteenth, June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Conference highlights:
Keynote Speaker: Annette Gordon Reed, Genius MacArthur, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Author of On Juneteenth Panelists: Dr. Dinah Ramey Berry, Dr. Ed Baptist, Dr. Kelly Carter Jackson, Dr. Keisha Ray; Many others. Topics covered: The history of slavery in Texas, the role of slave labor in the Texas economy, and the legacy of slavery impacting African Americans in Texas communities today Partners: SAAACAM and Smithsonian Institution Family Day: 12 Join us for Black Cowboys Family Day on Monday, Saturday, July 7th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Witte Museum. Smithsonian Institution looks back at programming of racial past
San Antonio is proud to be the third city to partner with the Smithsonian Institution as part of the “Our Shared Future: Reckoning with our Racial Past” initiative. The Smithsonian Institution has previously partnered with Los Angeles and Chicago to develop local, community-generated programming. This honorable initiative fosters reflection and dialogue about America’s history of racial injustice. The San Antonio program will run from December 3rd to December 14th, 2024, and will be conducted by the Spanish Colonial Mission (AIT-SCM) American Indians of Texas, Asian Texans for Justice (ATJ), Duceum, Esperanza Sponsored and co-operated by. Peace and Justice Center, San Antonio African American Community Archives Museum (SAAACAM), Witte Museum.
This free program features critical conversations, panel discussions, educator workshops, film screenings, and more, giving participants the opportunity to expand their understanding of how race is intertwined with every element of everyday life. We provide. For event details and schedule, visit https://s.si.edu/ncorsa.
Donors and Sponsors:
The Conference on Texas is a collaboration between Bank of America, the Smithsonian Institution’s Our Shared Future: Reflecting on our Racial Past Initiative, Wells Fargo Advisors, the William Knox Holt Foundation, Humanity Texas, and the Smathers Foundation. , presented by HEB with generous support from Spurs Sports and Entertainment. , Frostbank.
Tickets and scholarships:
Tickets are available now for the two-day museum-wide Conference on Texas. Thanks to the generous support of our conference sponsors, scholarships are available for educators and students to attend the event for free.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit WitteMuseum.org.
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2024 Texas Conference Press Release
Contact: Clara Guerrero
Witte Museum
210-416-4026
(email protected)
