Over the past three years, Wake Forest University has focused on uncovering their connection and history with slavery through several ambitious initiatives.
In addition to joining the Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium, Wake Forest launched the Slavery, Race and Memory project last spring. The project consists of a lecture series and offers professors course enhancement grants.
“The point of the project is to explore our university’s connections with slavery and how it impacted the university and how it impacts the university today,” said Kami Chavis, associate provost for academic initiatives and co-chair of the Slavery, Race and Memory project Steering Committee.
Dr. Derek S. Hicks, associate professor of religion and culture in the Wake Forest School of Divinity, received a grant to help fund a trip for his African American Religious Experience class.
The class analyzes the broader history of African-Americans within the United States, highlighting issues related to race, oppression, law and social justice.
“I thought it might be a great idea to think through ways that I could connect the students with actually lived history, that relates to African American religious experience,” said Hicks.
Through a conversation with Sarah Soleim, manager of community and academic learning at the Wake Forest Historical Museum, Hicks was told that there was evidence of an enslaved persons chapel, known as the African Chapel, on the university’s original campus.
