A Diasporic Narrative
Location: William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
Type: Memorial to the African Americans Enslaved by William & Mary
Status: Design Completed 2018 in collaboration with Hyon Woo Chung
Size: 7,000 sf
Chartered in 1693 William & Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The economy and early success of the United States & W&M depended upon the labor of enslaved people, the university owned slaves from its founding to the Civil War. Enslaved African Americans built and worked in the historic buildings that remain today.
The history and experience of the African Americans enslaved by William & Mary is part of a larger diasporic narrative. The harrowing experience of being enslaved began long before the arrival at the College. Our design concept portrays the forced journey of enslaved people from their home to the “new world” and onward. The memorial is a collection of metaphorical three-dimensional frames depicting the forced journey of a enslaved individual. The spatial manifestation of this narrative creates an emotion filled space for reflection and contemplation.
Our proposal prominently locates the memorial at the east side of the historic campus. The memorial is conceptualized as an excavated void exposing a complex hidden history. The void will disrupt the traditional use of the quad and will require a continuing acknowledgment of the past. The proposed memorial intends to bring much needed awareness to the insurmountable odds and extreme trials enslaved African Americans overcame.
