Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites

Kristin L. Gallas has led public history work for the Tracing Center on Histories and Legacies of Slavery since its founding, and also oversaw the design of our workshops for teachers and other professionals in education. She has led the education/interpretation departments at the Montana Historical Society, the USS Constitution Museum, and currently at the Tsongas Industrial History Center; developed programs for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Shelburne Museum; created interpretative training for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site and the Maine State Museum; and consulted with Martha’s Vineyard Museum and George Washington’s Mount Vernon on exhibit development.James DeWolf Perry is the executive director of the Tracing Center on Histories and Legacies of Slavery, for which he speaks and facilitates discussions about the nation’s legacy of slavery and race. He was nominated for an Emmy award for his role as the principal historical consultant for Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, the 2008 PBS documentary about the legacy of the North’s role in slavery and the slave trade, and in which he also appears as a descendant of the leading slave trader in U.S. history.

• Foreword by Rex M. EllisPrefaceChapter 1:Comprehensive Content and Contested Historical Narratives Kristin L. Gallas and James DeWolf PerryChapter 2:The Role of Race and Racial Identity in InterpretationKristin L. Gallas and James DeWolf PerryChapter 3:“So Deep Dyed in Our Fabric, It Can Not Be Washed Out”: Developing Institutional Support for the Interpretation of SlaveryLinnea GrimChapter 4:Institutional Change at Northern Historic Sites: Telling Slavery’s Story in the Land of Abolition Katherine D. KaneChapter 5:The Necessity of Community Involvement: Talking About Slavery in the 21st CenturyDina A. Bailey and Richard C. CooperChapter 6:Visitors Are Ready, Are We?Conny GraftChapter 7:Developing Competent and Confident InterpretersPatricia BrooksChapter 8: Perceptions of Race and Identity and their Impact on Slavery’s InterpretationNicole A. MooreConclusion

Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites is a comprehensive ‘how to’ manual. It can be extremely useful to any historical or cultural institution serious about improving its ability to present the topic of slavery in ways that acknowledge its foundational significance in the evolution of our nation.