Black Lives Next Door

Author(s): Ky Buckner

Mentor(s): George Oberle, University Libraries; LaNitra Berger, Office of Fellowships and African and African American Studies; Benedict Carton, History and Art History; Anthony Guidone, Anne Dobberteen, Graduate Assistants

Abstract

Abstract:
Black Lives Next Door is a research project dedicated to investigating the relationship between George Mason and the Black community of Northern Virginia. From archival analysis to conducting an oral history interview with a former GMC professor, I both explored new research methods and learned so much about the history of Northern Virginia and my soon-to-be alma mater–George Mason. My two central findings were presented in digital exhibits, using the Omeka platform. One is entitled “Racial Ridicule at George Mason College” and it analyzes the history of racial parody in the GMC student body from 1965-1971. I specifically look at the frequent use of Blackface and analyze an annual “slave auction” held at the college from ’68-’71. The second exhibit is entitled “No Room for Revolutionaries” which explores the controversial dismissal of three faculty members, who were also avid critics of racial discrimination and the Vietnam war.

Video Transcript

Transcript:
This summer I worked on the Black Lives Next Door research team. Over the past three months, we investigated the historical relationship between George Mason and the Black community of Northern Virginia. While GMU presently touts itself as a beacon of global diversity among southern institutions, it’s history was far from inclusive. Part of what motivated our faculty leaders — Dr. Berger, Dr. Carton, and Dr. Oberle –ì to form this group was a report released in 1971 by the Virginia State Advisory Committee to the National Civil Rights Commission, entitled “George Mason: For all the people?” After examining a bevy of evidence, the report ultimately concluded that “George Mason College was conceived of, by, and for the white community of Northern Virginia.”
Before we began our research, we undertook a two-week session with readings on Mason’s history and relevant theoretical texts, as well as having multiple guest speakers. We read from authors such as Katherine McKittrick, focusing specifically on her concept of Black Geographies as holding unique spatial, political, and historical importance. We also read the aforementioned Civil Rights report, as well a dissertation on Mason’s development as a college. Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott spoke with us multiple times, as did Dr. Marsha Chatelin from Georgetown University. We also met with Brittney Falter from Special Collections, who showed us how to access the university archives.
That’s where my research began–flipping through manilla folders on the second floor of Fenwick. I was browsing the documents C. Harrison Mann — a former member of GMC’s advisory committee –had saved, uncertain what I would find. On the first appointment I made at the archives, I found meeting minutes where they discussed the dismissal of a professor named Robert Houston for being a “ringleader” stirring up trouble on campus, specifically citing his participation in a protest against racial discrimination. I was intrigued and as I learned more, I found other incidents of professors being controversially dismissed.
Jim Shea, former philosophy professor at GMC, was most known for his absolute opposition to the draft and Vietnam war. He also actively criticized racial discrimination at GMC and sought to alter recruitment policies, alongside another professor who was dismissed named Larry Leftoff. Leftoff taught Math and him, Shea, as well as Houston became the focus of my research. In the archives, the university has an oral series history. Fortunately, Shea had already been interviewed which proved to be an invaluable source for my research. However, neither Houston nor Leftoff had an oral history. They would be worth talking to if I could find them, I thought. I googled around for them, combed phone books and white pages, and even scrolled through every ancestry website I could find. I ended up finding a phone number for Leftoff and a page for Houston on WikiTree. After speaking with my faculty mentors, they advised me to reach out so I did. I spoke with Leftoff on the phone for an hour, discussed our research and he was excited to speak more at length. We made plans to set up a formal interview, but I lost contact with him after he sent a final e-mail explaining that he needed a few days to respond because he was preparing for a hurricane. I haven‚’t heard from Leftoff since. Houston, on the other hand, replied to my message through WikiTree — an ancestry website — impressed that I had found him and agreed to be interviewed. I ended up conducting an oral history interview with him, lasting an hour and a half long, which will be added to the university archives. In addition, Houston mentioned that he had gathered some materials that may be relevant to my research and forwarded documents, pamphlets, and pins from his time at Mason, which will also be added to the University’s archives.
At the conclusion of our research, our team created a digital exhibit to present our findings. We used a software called Omeka, which uses html to generate webpages. I ended up creating two different exhibits, one entitled “Racial Ridicule at George Mason College” and the other entitled “No Room for Revolutionaries.” Racial Ridicule explores what I found when looking at copies of the student yearbook from Mason in the 60s, where white students frequently employed Blackface at beauty competitions and parties. One of my most stunning finds was that from 1968-1971 GMC held a charity “slave auction” and it entailed pretty much exactly what it sounds like, students owned other students for a day. No Room for Revolutionaries explores the cases of Shea, Leftoff, and Houston, showing that they were dismissed primarily for their political beliefs — specifically being outspoken against institutional racism and the Vietnam war — rather than their ability to teach. This summer was a unique experience for me because it’s the first time I’ve almost exclusively interacted with primary evidence. Usually, I’m reading other people analyze sources, whereas I was able to make my own interpretations on documents I found. I learned so much and improved my research and writing immeasurably. As far as I understand, the faculty leaders intend to renew this project and I would totally recommend anyone interested to apply.

For more on this topic see:
Black Lives Next Door – Eleven Oaks Elementary School
Black Lives Next Door: Student Voices Meets School Silence
Black Resistance in Fairfax County
BLND Project: “Back to School”: An Examination of the Forgotten Historic Location

2 replies on “Black Lives Next Door”

That’s incredible that you were able to connect with these people! You are a very good orator, this is a interesting history you have compiled. There was lots of surprising information, like the “slave days.” This would make an interesting podcast.

This is such a captivating narrative of your research process, Ky! I’m so fascinated by what you’ve excavated from Mason’s archives, and I think you’ve made a significant contribution to them as well.

Since this was your first time almost entirely working with primary evidence, what were some of the highlights immersing yourself in the data, or some of the challenges you encountered?

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