New appointments to state task force on Va's formerly enslaved
While the Shockoe Project represents the city's current commitment to the preservation and promotion of Richmond and Virginia's black history, the state's commitment was represented today by Governor Youngkin's announcement of the appointment of the three CITIZEN members of the TASK FORCE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE HISTORY OF FORMERLY ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICANS IN VIRGINIA.
Makola M. Abdullah, Ph.D., of Petersburg, President, Virginia State University
Nikki Rattray Baldwin of Prince William County, Founder, Planet Rattray
Brenton Hammond of Alexandria, Defense Contractor
Established during former Governor Northam's administration, this "Task Force shall assist the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Foundation
1. Promote the identification, preservation, and conservation of historic sites significant to the history, presence, and contributions of formerly enslaved African Americans in Virginia;
2. Assess the extent to which students and the public are knowledgeable concerning African American history, the African slave trade, slavery in Virginia and America, and the vestiges of slavery in the Commonwealth and the nation;
3. Identify the contributions of African Americans to Virginia, the nation, and the world;
4. Inventory relevant African American historical sites, memorials, exhibits, and resources in the Commonwealth and assess the potential economic impact of tourism and economic development promotion relative to such sites;
5. Develop a register of historical sites significant to African American history in Virginia that should be preserved and recommend options for preservation and ways to increase tourism revenues; and
6. Develop and maintain a roster of volunteer historians, educators, businesses, organizations, and speakers to act as resource persons for classroom teachers on African American history, the African slave trade, American slavery, the impact of slavery on modern society, and the contributions of African Americans to Virginia and the nation."
This is a very good roster of tasks that if put into motion could actually assist with the state's racial literacy "grade." That tourism is specifically mentioned with preservation is, perhaps, a disquieting reminder that an economic rationale is often at the foundation of legislation that actually passes into law. But there are greater concerns.
In May of this year, Gov. Youngkin's appointees to the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors ensured cancellation of the Racial Literacy Requirement to the General Education curriculum just as it was to be implemented this fall semester. Two courses have been taught since the Spring semester 2022 and over the 2023-24 academic year, faculty from multiple departments and schools created a total of 10 additional courses that would have given students significant choice in topic and provide the number of classroom seats needed for students to meet the requirement within the first two years of enrollment.
In spite of the Racial Literacy Requirement project having been approved by a prior BoV, it was easy to anticipate this challenge with an administration so hostile to the words "diversity," "equity," and "inclusion" that they literally cancelled all state DEI programs and declared their intention of removing these "divisive concepts" from K-12 schools and this "left propaganda" from higher education.
So, given this agenda of the administration that appointed them, it will be important to understand the interests of the members of this task force and what they hope to accomplish. Will they need our vocal support to be able to do the good work intended by the taskforce's creation? Will we need to keep an eye on why any work never quite gets done?
FYI
Staff Contact for the task force:
Matthew Gibson, Executive Director, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, mgibson@virginia.edu (434) 924-3296, 145 Ednam Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Follow this link to read the legislative details and membership composition of the taskforce: https://studies.virginiageneralassembly.gov/studies/442
Follow this link to read the legislation adopted into the Virginia Code as Section 23.1-2219: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title23.1/chapter22/section23.1-2219/
