Event
Black History Month Celebration
Fee:
Free.Location: LAT/LONG: 40.714997, -74.005446
290 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
Duration:
Type of Event
- Jewelry Making with Jessica Washington 11:00 am-3 pm, multi-purpose room, first come, first serve -Libation by Ndigo Washington and Lift Every Voice and Sing performed by J.D. Webster, 1:30 pm-1:45 pm, theater -Presentation by Dr. Aja Lans, 1:45 pm-2:30 pm, theater
Description
- Jewelry Making with Jessica Washington
11:00 am-3 pm, multi-purpose room, first come, first serve
-Libation by Ndigo Washington and Lift Every Voice and Sing performed by
J.D. Webster, 1:30 pm-1:45 pm, theater
-Presentation by Dr. Aja Lans, 1:45 pm-2:30 pm, theater
Working with and for Black Ancestors
The commodification and objectification of Black people’s bodies has long served to uphold white supremacy in the United States. The field of physical anthropology is directly implicated in the process, undertaking studies to construct race and deny Black people their humanity. My research focuses on the histories of Black people whose skeletal remains were taken without consent. This requires an understanding of the ethical implications of working with human remains and descendant communities in ways that are rarely sufficiently addressed in anthropology. I argue that the skeletal remains of Black people should only be studied in limited circumstances, including efforts to repatriate or lay Ancestors to rest, when burial sites are at risk, and when relevant questions posed by a descendant community can only be answered by considering the skeletal body. Anthropological research can provide unique data and insights, offering a powerful and nuanced understanding of how inequality and discrimination are embodied and maintained even after death, but it must be community driven and informed.