The History Research Symposium is an annual convening for sharing and learning about historical periods & people, pedagogy, and historical initiatives. The annual meeting celebrates the unique inquiry into our collective historical past.
Building on a five-year history, HRS encourages students, scholars and community members to submit proposals. HRS promotes professional training, historical inquiry, and intellectual collaboration. We also welcome submissions from other disciplines such as Africana Studies, Culture Studies, Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Behavioral Sciences and Museum Studies.
The Symposium’s theme underscores the undeniable challenges brought to the forefront of American History in 2020. At the time of this Call For Proposals, and likely for the immediate future, we are in a state of insecurity. Many of the rhythms of life that we have grown accustomed to now look different, feel different, or in some cases no longer exist. In just a sweep of months, we have contended with and engaged in rebellions against state violence, a global pandemic, faltering political institutions, and an economy that has shined a bright light on deep levels of inequality. Insecurity seems to be the operative word to describe this moment in time.
The Symposium’s theme also reflects upon resilience and joy. It seeks to inspire attendees to reimagine the current state of insecurity as a pathway to racial harmony, racial progress, and stability. It challenges us to think critically about the role of historical inquiry. Undoubtedly, we have had a number of triumphs (Reconstruction, New Negro Movement, Civil Rights/Black Power, etc.) which were of such epic proportion that they changed not only the nation, but also the world.
So, at this time, as in earlier periods, we are required to not only live, but also engage this insecurity, resilience, and joy. Perhaps the beauty and burden of blackness is to have the ironic privilege of grappling with this weighty history and using it to inform how we chart our future. There have been a wide range of responses to troubling times. They include making space for lamentation, self-preservation, resistance, and even joy. All are legitimate, connected, and often existed at the same time in the same person or community.
For this year’s conference, we invite participants to draw on this manifold tradition of engaging ideas of insecurity, resilience, and joy, particularly among people of African descent in the United States and the larger world. We think that important connections and solutions will be made when considering our past, current state of affairs, and our deep abiding desire for a sense of security in the future.
Perhaps this climate is the most appropriate time for us to celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and to reflect on all of the growth we have experienced as a community of scholars. It also allows us to reimagine our effort to re-center Historically Black Colleges and Universities as grounds of rigorous historical inquiry, research, and community engagement.
SESSION TYPES
HRS will be conducted entirely as a virtual event. Synchronous sessions will be held live at a specific time in the program. Asynchronous types will be submitted in advance and available for viewing throughout the conference.
The History Research Symposium encourages Proposal Submissions from students, scholars and community members. HRS promotes professional training, historical inquiry, and intellectual collaboration. We also welcome submissions from other disciplines such as Africana Studies, Culture Studies, Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Behavioral Sciences and Museum Studies
Proposals should be submitted to hrs@tuskegee.edu
Dr. Sheena Harris
Associate Professor of History
HRS | Chair
sharris@tuskegee.edu | hrs@tuskegee.edu
Dr. Worth Kamili Hayes
Associate Professor of History
HRS | Co-Chair
whayes@tuskegee.edu
Dr. John Tilghman
Associate Professor of History
HRS | Co-Chair
jtilghman@tuskegee.edu