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Department of American Studies Spring 2023 Colloquium: Gaddis
January 30, 2023 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
The Department of American Studies Spring 2023 Colloquium Series
Gruesome Looking Objects: A New History of Lynching and Everyday Things
This talk will focus on both the writing process and content of Gruesome Looking Objects. Unlike other histories of lynching that rely on conventional historical records, this study focuses on the objects associated with the lynching, including newspaper articles, fragments of the victims’ clothing, photographs, and souvenirs such as sticks from the hanging tree. This material culture approach uncovers how people tried to integrate the meaning of the lynching into their everyday lives through objects. These seemingly ordinary items are repositories for the comprehension, interpretation, and commemoration of racial violence and white supremacy.
Elijah Gaddis is from Cabarrus County, North Carolina, (the home of George Clinton and Dale Earnhardt.) He’s currently an Assistant Professor of Public History and Africana Studies at Auburn University. His work on the spatial, material and cultural histories of the Black South has been funded by the NEH and NPS and has appeared in public-facing and scholarly articles, exhibitions, and books.
When: Monday, January 30, 5:30 PM
Where: Donovan Lounge (Greenlaw 223)
