History & Memory | Today at Elon | �þ��

Black History Month: Keshia Gee brings West African dance to center stage at Elon

Avery Craine Powell — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:25:27 +0000

As one of only a handful of full-time professors in the United States who focus on traditional West African dance, Assistant Professor of Dance Keshia Gee has made emphasizing the importance of the dance form a major part of her work at �þ��.

Traditional West African dance is unique by giving dancers the ability to work with live musicians and introduces them to polyrhythm, Gee said, but it goes beyond just live music and rhythm. Knowing, understanding and practicing traditional West African dance can help dancers understand other forms as well, as it is the foundation of many other dance forms.

Keshia Gee, assistant professor of dance

As Elon honors Black History Month in February, Gee notes that her work showcasing West African dance and expanding access to the art is more important than ever, but is also something she does year-round.“My overall goal (for Black History Month),” Gee said, “is to make people aware of Black greatness and the things that Black folks are doing.”

During her �þ�� dance studies, Gee had a difficult time connecting to her alma mater’s modern dance program, partially, she said, because of the culture of the program at the time.

“Later in my dance journey, I also came to understand that I am neurodivergent, which has deeply shaped the way I approach �þ�� and research,” said Gee. “Because of that experience, I make it a priority to learn every student’s name, build genuine personal connections and create tools and resources that support multiple ways of learning. My goal is to ensure that students who may share similar challenges, or who simply learn differently, are able to engage with the course material in ways that feel accessible and affirming.”

Artificial intelligence has been a tool Gee has used to make the dance form more accessible. She published an interactive textbook that blends tradition with technology, inviting users of the online resource to learn West African dance moves and music using a digital avatar named “Amma.”

“I wanted to make it easier for everyone — whether you’re totally new to dance or already have experience — to connect with this powerful art form and understand how deeply it’s tied to the history and rhythms of the people,” Gee said.

During Gee’s �þ�� experience, it was a West African dance course with her future mentor and mother-in-law, Robin Gee, where things began to click: “It was one of the first times that I felt like a professor really saw me,” said Gee.

Keshia Gee, assistant professor of dance

She now tries to help her students similarly, hosting her “mentoring research circle,” bringing together her research mentees for collaborative work: “I love being connected to students in that way. I feel like we learn and grow together, and I just love to see the growth.”

“Working with Keshia has taught me how to challenge my thinking as well as collaborate with others,” said Lucy Burk ‘27, a dance performance & choreography major who is working with Gee on her Elon College Fellows research. “She frequently allows her mentees to share ideas with each other about their projects, which leads to insightful discussions and helps builds strong relationships. Keshia is always there for support and guidance, and she makes sure her mentees get the most valuable information and resources available.”

In 2025, Gee was also named the director of The Black Lumen Project: An Equity Initiative, which works to enhance the Black experience at Elon in pursuit of equity and move the institution further in its commitment to inclusive excellence.

Gee is working to make the Committee on History and Memory Fall 2020 Report more accessible to alumni and the surrounding community through the by development of a mobile app. Her work also includes producing a film about Black women at Elon, such as Mary Carroll Robertson and Wilhelmina Boyd, associate professor emerita of English and founder of the African/African-American Studies program.

“We’ve been interviewing (some of these women) to create this living documentary about Black women being at the heart of Elon,”�� she said. “Intersectionality can cause us to slip through the cracks at times, and perhaps not be acknowledged for the work that they’ve done.”

Black History Month

As part of Black History Month, �þ�� is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight Black students, faculty and staff who actively contribute to a campus environment where cultural histories and identities are celebrated year-round. In February, Elon is also recognizing the month through a series of events and programming.

Voices of Elon Oral History booths debut at Homecoming celebration

Miranda Burgos — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:40:22 +0000

For the first time, the Committee on Elon History and Memory hosted the Voices of Elon Oral History Booths as part of the 2025 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend on Oct. 17-18.

The booths provided an opportunity for alumni to share their Elon stories on camera in 10-15 minute interviews, which are to be preserved in the University Archives. In total, 23 interviews were recorded across three locations: the Black Community Room in Moseley, the Elon Black Alumni Network Tailgate and at Belk Library.

The History and Memory Committee aims to find stories that are not currently reflected in the archives. While the committee was created in 2020 with Black history in mind, Kelly Policelli, committee co-chair and coordinator of University Archives & Special Collections, says they want begin branching out to other areas, including the LGBTQ community and other minority groups that have been historically underrepresented on campus.

“It’s also just fun,” Policelli said. “I think it’s important for our committee especially, because we are working on some very hard histories, to sometimes stop and just celebrate some of the students, the stories, and the experiences that Elon students have had.”

While the committee often researches and tells stories about the more challenging aspects of Elon’s history, they believe it is equally important to highlight achievement.

Tours honor freedom and reflection on Black history at �þ��

Michaela Zeno — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:08:29 +0000

Juneteenth, a federal holiday observed each year on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

In recognition of Juneteenth, �þ�� has organized programs for students, faculty, staff, and community members, including a self-guided walking tour that highlights locations on campus marked with informational signs offering historical context.

Signs at each location��feature a QR code linking to a webpage with expanded details about the site.

Organizers hope that through the tour experience, participants will gain insight into the lesser-known histories of Elon’s Black community. Those insights, they said, will foster reflection, education, and commemoration of the holiday’s significance.

“Our understanding of the historical and contemporary significance of Juneteenth helps us grow into a community that embraces shared responsibility to act deliberately toward equitable outcomes,” said Carla Fullwood, director of inclusive excellence education and development in the Division of Inclusive Excellence.

Juneteenth serves as both a celebration of emancipation and a solemn reminder of the long struggle for racial justice, Fullwood said, and that �þ�� – as an institution committed to inclusive excellence – engages the community through events that reflect values of justice, critical inquiry, and shared humanity.

“Juneteenth is also a time to honestly reflect on our nation’s history of independence, recommit to the work of justice, and create space for both rest and joy,” she said.

�þ�� to honor Juneteenth with variety of activities

Michaela Zeno — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 12:56:03 +0000

Juneteenth will be observed on June 19 with online resources and main campus programs throughout the day that reflect on the significance of the holiday and the history of Black achievements, activism and influence at �þ��.

Freedom Footprints Self-Guided or Virtual Tour ��
All Day | In-person and Online ��
Elon community members are invited to explore Black history, activism and more at the university through a self-guided walking tour—in person or online accessible beginning on Juneteenth.

Juneteenth Reflection Hour ��
9:30-10:30 a.m. | McBride Gathering Space of the Numen Lumen Pavilion��
Come as you are for a quiet, interactive, reflective hour with light refreshments. A short remembrance will be offered by the Rev. Donna Vanhook ’07.

Juneteenth Lunch and Learn Conversation ��
12-1 p.m. | Oaks Commons 212 | Register �ᷡ�鷡 ��
Join us for lunch and a guided conversation on the significance of Juneteenth, past and present.

Freedom Footprints Guided Tour ��
1:15 p.m. | Meet outside Oaks Commons ��
Led by Assistant Professor Amanda Kleintop, a member of the Committee on Elon History and Memory, this walking tour will offer more context and broader stories of Black activism and contributions at Elon.

Commemoration events are sponsored by the Black Lumen Project, , Committee on Elon’s History and Memory, HealthEU Initiatives, and the Office of Inclusive Excellence Education and Development.

An �þ�� Juneteenth Q&A

In honor of Juneteenth, two members of the �þ�� community – Assistant Librarian Shaunta Alvarez, a member of the Committee on Elon History and Memory, and Carla Fullwood, director of inclusive excellence education and development – share personal reflections, historical insights, and perspectives on the significance of the holiday.

Both answered questions they hope will provide a deeper understanding of the holiday’s legacy and its relevance in both academic and community spaces today.

What does Juneteenth mean to you? ��
Carla Fullwood: Juneteenth represents the ongoing journey toward liberation. It commemorates the delayed emancipation of enslaved people and reflects how Black and African American communities continue to fight for equity in our society.

Shaunta Alvarez: Juneteenth is a grand and uplifting moment in the history of Black people in the United States. It’s a time for both celebration and embittered reflection.

Carla Fullwood, director of inclusive excellence education and development

Why should Juneteenth be celebrated and recognized? ��
CF: Juneteenth should be observed because it represents a significant part of American history. When we honor Juneteenth, we acknowledge the value, contributions and culture of Black people. These narratives and lived experiences were not fully recognized on July 4, 1776, and deserve to be uplifted as part of a more complete American story.

SA: Commemorating Juneteenth offers opportunities for education about the nation’s history and to acknowledge the significance of freedom for all Americans. We take this time to study the history of Black people at Elon to remember that working toward freedom and inclusion is ongoing and that emancipation from enslavement was just a beginning.

What are some of the benefits of raising awareness and understanding about Juneteenth? ��
CF: Raising awareness about Juneteenth creates space for truth-telling, racial healing and solidarity. As an educator, I see this as a meaningful way to live out our Elon values, particularly our commitment to respecting human differences and inclusive excellence.

SA: While I’m a fan of personal or individual study and reflections, community recognitions and discussions create safe spaces to ask questions like “What was it like when…?”,  “How did they feel about…?”, or “Why did it happen that way?”  and discuss what we know and don’t know about.

What is something you learned while celebrating Juneteenth? ��
CF: I’ve learned that Juneteenth is not only about resisting inequitable systems, but this day is also about rest and restoration. These practices have long been part of Black liberation and civil rights movements. The fight for liberation can coexist with moments of physical or mental rest, meditation, storytelling, music, food, fellowship, or engaging in physical activity that helps restore the body and spirit for the continued work ahead.

Assistant Librarian Shaunta Alvarez, a member of the Committee on Elon History and Memory

SA: The most important thing I’ve learned is that I must make time to study the complexity of historic events such as Juneteenth and how both the events themselves as well as the narratives about them shape our experiences. What I was taught about was limited; Juneteenth was simply the day all the enslaved people in the U.S. were freed. Over the years, I’ve learned there is so much more to that period that includes what the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 meant up to the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865.

Members of the �þ�� communities are invited to share your thoughts and reflections by submitting them for a possible feature on the �þ�� Instagram page.

Celebrating Black history in the �þ�� Archives & Special Collections

Alison Van Norman — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:54:48 +0000

Fifty years ago, in February 1975, Elon College’s Black Cultural Society—an organization founded in 1974 “to promote understanding and a sense of unity among Black students”—celebrated National Black Heritage Week, the precursor to Black History Month, for the first time on Elon’s campus. The BCS sponsored a program of hymns and poetry; a talk by Raymond McLaughlin, a professor of history at NC A&T University, titled “What It Means to be Black in the Twentieth Century”; and a talk by alumnus Rev. Marvin Morgan ’71, a Burlington minister, titled “The Standpoint of Theology in the Black Society.”

Black Cultural Society in their inaugural year, 1974. EUA028 Photograph Collection

These days, February brings a wealth of opportunities for learning, reflection and advocacy around Black history and the legacies of anti-Black racism on Elon’s campus and around the country. While you’re likely to see pop-up exhibits around campus this month that utilize materials from the �þ�� Archives & Special Collection, this seems a particularly appropriate time of year to remind the campus of the records, papers and artifacts related to Elon’s Black history that the Archives makes available to students, faculty, staff and the public year-round.

Online Resources��

Not all of the materials in the �þ�� Archives & Special Collections are available online. Still, there are several small collections and exhibits that represent a good start to exploring Elon’s Black history.

Staff member Andrew Morgan with his car, 1940s or 1950s. Photo featured in the History and Memory Collection online. EUA028 Photograph Collection

Since its inception in 2018, the Committee on Elon History & Memory has worked closely with the Archives to uncover hidden, unsung, and sometimes difficult histories on campus, including the underdeveloped stories of Black contributions and Black excellence at Elon. After the release of the committee’s 2020 report (see the Recommended Reading section below), the Archives created a special online collection that brings together some of the resources used to write the report, many of which document Elon’s Black history.

��and Freedom Footprints—The Archives also created an interactive map exhibit that connects the campus’s physical spaces with the stories told in the 2020 Committee on Elon History and Memory report, allowing users to walk through Black history on campus. In the summer 2024, the original tour was adapted to create a thought-provoking Juneteenth walking tour titled “Freedom Footprints.”��

This student project, researched and created by Emily Lange ’21, a 2019 recipient of the Lumen Prize, documents the origins of the African and African American Studies at Elon minor. Starting with the first request for a Black studies course in 1969 and working through Wilhelmina Boyd’s successful launch of the minor in 1994, the exhibit highlights the importance of student advocacy in the long fight for academic recognition on campus.

Wilhelmina Boyd, founder of the African and African American Studies at Elon minor program, with an unidentified student, 1990s. EUA028 Photograph Collection

This collection currently houses only a few interviews germane to Black history on Elon’s campus, but watch this space for new resources (see Expanding the Collections, below).

��and ��Ǳ��𳦳پ��ǲԲ�—A sampling of our total photographic and video holdings is available in our online collections and are searchable there, but we have many more AV resources in our collections. Contact an archivist at belkarchives@elon.edu for more information.

Physical Collections��

Within our physical collections, we are always working to identify entry points to Black history and the Black experience on our campus and beyond. What follows is a list of materials we know to be relevant to understanding Black history at Elon. These can be accessed in the Archives Reading Room at Belk Library. Email belkarchives@elon.edu for more information.

Books and Publications—Moments in Elon’s Black history have been captured in a range of campus publications, including campus newspapers like the Maroon and Gold (1920-1970), the Veritas Liberated Press (1968-1970), Broadside Today (1972-1973), and the Pendulum (1974-ongoing); in the Phi Psi Cli yearbook (1913-ongoing); administrative publications like the Elon College/University fact books; newsletters like Black Underground; in original research like L’Tanya Richmond’s master’s thesis, “Elon’s Black History: A Story to Be Told” (2005); and in recent campus reports like the Black Lumen report (2023). Many of these publications have been digitized and are now fully searchable online.

Emory Moore, one of the first Black student-athletes at Elon, late 1960s. Featured in Phi Psi Cli yearbook. EUA012 Athletics Collection

EUA012 Elon Athletics Collection, 1891-ongoing (13 archival boxes, 18 bound volumes, plus unprocessed material)—Athletics represented a pathway to join the Elon community for Black student-athletes, and Black athletes were at the forefront of the fight for equity on campus from the late 1960s onward. This collection includes a variety of materials and documents that relate to the history of athletics at �þ��.

EUA040 �þ�� Biographical Files—This collection includes biographical information about individuals associated with �þ�� and the Town of Elon, including some of the founders of the institution, faculty and staff, and alumni. Documents within each folder contain a variety of items, such as newspaper clippings, correspondences, essays and memoirs, and other types of printed materials.

EUA041 Elon Files (General and Administrative)— This collection includes general information files about departments on campus, events, courses, organizations and other miscellaneous subjects associated with Elon. The files are arranged alphabetically and span eight file cabinet drawers. For example, the “Black Cultural Society/Black Student Union” folder was cited in the 2020 report by the Committee on Elon History & Memory.

The �þ�� Gospel Choir, ca. 1980s-1990s. EUA028 Photograph Collection

EUA095 Gospel Choir Collection, 1980-ongoing (three archival boxes)—The Gospel Choir at Elon was founded in 1977 by a group of African American students in search of fellowship on campus. The Gospel Choir Collection includes documents about the organization from 1980 to the present day. Documents include materials such as correspondence, receipts or financial records, advertising flyers, programs and membership listings.

EUA098 African and African American Studies Collection, 1969-ongoing (four archival boxes)— This collection consists of materials relating to the founding and continued work of the African and African-American Studies Program at �þ��.

EUA134 Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education (CREDE) Collection, 1992-ongoing (one archival box)—This collection pertains to multicultural affairs across Elon’s campus, including the creation of the CREDE, as well as some information on the African and African-American Studies minor.

EUA155 Anti-Racism at Elon Collection, 2020-ongoing (one archival box)— This is a collection of correspondence, news articles, and reports related to anti-racism efforts at �þ��, as well as events that took place at �þ�� and in Alamance County in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020. The collection includes the report of the Committee on Elon History & Memory released in October 2020.

Mary Carroll-Robertson ’81, the first Black Homecoming Queen at Elon, 1979. When this photo was omitted from the 1980 yearbook, it sparked a protest. EUA028 Photograph Collection

EUA159 Black Excellence Awards Collection, 1993- ongoing (one archival box)—This collection encompasses the history of the Black Excellence Awards from their creation in 1993 to the present day. It includes both programs and invitations from past Black Excellence Awards ceremonies and news articles discussing the Black Excellence Awards. Particularly of note are the programs and newspaper coverage relating to the inaugural award ceremony in 1993.

MSS005 William H. Maness Collection, 1957-2000 (two archival boxes)—The William H. Maness collection contains a variety of materials relating to his tenure as a judge in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as issues of racism, social inequality, the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the strides people took to promote the well-being and equality of the human race.��

Expanding the Collections��

Like all archives, the �þ�� Archives & Special Collections represents the goals, values and priorities of its participants over the years of its existence. For much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the history and experiences of those who identified as Black or African American were ignored, elided, or just plain excluded from official archives and records—and Elon was no different. Within the EUA&SC, we’re committed to making the Archives a place that reflects the histories of the whole community. In the hopes of filling in some of those “archival silences,” we are always seeking materials that speak to the Black and African American experience on campus. In particular, we plan to begin an oral history program within the Archives that will focus on recovering Black voices, with input from the Committee on Elon History & Memory. We also must acknowledge that, in some cases, evidence and information has simply been lost to history. It’s a difficult truth that keeps us motivated in our efforts to build a more equitable and accurate archive for the future.

References and Recommended Reading��

Alvarez, Shaunta. “Elon’s First Black History Celebration.” Under the Oaks (blog). February 1, 2012. .

Black Lumen Project. The Black Experience at Elon: A Black Lumen Project Report. Elon, NC: �þ��, 2023. .

Committee on Elon History and Memory. Report and Recommendations. 2020. Elon, NC: �þ��, 2022. .

Richmond, L’Tanya. “Elon’s Black History: A Story to Be Told.” Master’s thesis, Duke University, 2005. �þ�� Archives and Special Collections, Elon, NC.

Elon celebrates Juneteenth with tour, discussion

Michaela Zeno — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:00:05 +0000

Elon celebrated Juneteenth on Wednesday with various events throughout the day including a luncheon, panel discussion and a pop-up exhibit in LaRose Student Commons. Members of the university community were invited to participate in a self-guided campus tour.

The Juneteenth event in LaRose Student Commons opened with words from Carla Fullwood, director of inclusive excellence education and development. “This day reminds us to commit ourselves to fostering an inclusive and equitable academic community for students, faculty and staff,” Fullwood said.

Fullwood shared a brief history of Juneteenth and thoughts about how members of the campus community could commemorate the holiday, which marks the end of slavery in the United States. “As a university we have a unique opportunity to commemorate this federal holiday with reflection and education while we are on campus,” Fullwood said.

Participants explore a Juneteenth pop-up history exhibit.

Following Fullwood’s welcome was a panel discussion featuring Assistant Librarian Shaunta Alvarez and Assistant Professor Amanda Kleintop, with Kelly Policelli, coordinator of university archives & special collections and assistant librarian, serving as moderator. Policelli offered insights into the recent development of courses at the university that incorporate and highlight the findings within the 2020 report by the Committee on Elon History and Memory. The courses aim to empower students to explore how Elon’s history connects to the present, Policelli said.

Alvarez is the digital collections and systems librarian Elon and she served as the principal investigator for Elon’s contributions to the Locating Slaveries Legacies database.��An assistant professor of history, Kleintop focuses her research on topics including digital archival practices to reparative archival descriptions to appraisal and reappraisal of archival context.

Policelli noted that Juneteenth has roots in American history with the announcement of General Order Number Three on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, which informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. Policelli asked Kleintop to expand upon Juneteenth’s history and significance. Kleintop noted in her response that the origins of what we now call Juneteenth actually stretch back further than 1865. “Juneteenth arguably has origins from 1830 with the first of August celebrations that people across the African diaspora celebrated the abolition of slavery in England,” Kleintop said.

Alvarez responded to questions relating to the Locating Slavery’s Legacies project, explaining that the initiative was launched by The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. “They decided to focus their project on American universities where there are memorials to the Civil War or to the Confederacy,” Alvarez said.

Vice President Janet Williams offers remarks during Elon’s 2024 Juneteenth celebration.

Once the panel discussion concluded, the room was open for questions and comments. Members of the audience offered their thoughts about work that is still to be done, such as addressing the legacy of slavery more directly through anti-racist work. Others noted that the Juneteenth holiday should be used for reflection and learning, while others discussed a deeper examination of what freedom and emancipation mean in the modern context. Members of the audience were also encouraged to provide ideas about how they can make change.

In her closing, Fullwood introduced the self-guided walking tour and encouraged participants to take part. “Walking is symbolic to the liberation of Black and African American people in various ways,” Fullwood said. “So, I encourage you to actually take part in walking to visit the different sites on our campus.”

A member of the audience offers remarks during Elon’s Juneteenth celebration.

Elon members and community members were encouraged to engage in a self-guided walking tour on campus or review site information online. There were signs at six major stops on the tour in the heart of campus. The signs introduced the stopping point and a QR code that took people to a��web page��with all the information about the stopping point and the entire tour. The tour allows participants to learn some of the lesser-known histories of the Black community at Elon to commemorate Juneteenth.

“As a newer employee, this was a great way to learn about the history of Elon through the Black experience,” said C. Rizleris, assistant director of marketing communications for graduate programs. “Thank you to everyone who helped put this together to celebrate and acknowledge Black students, staff and faculty throughout Elon history.”

This commemoration event was sponsored by the Black Lumen Project, �þ�� Archives and Special Collections, Committee on Elon’s History and Memory, and the Office of Inclusive Excellence Education and Development.

Freedom Footprints: A Juneteenth journey through Elon’s Black history

Michaela Zeno — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 18:57:06 +0000

Members of the �þ�� community are invited to celebrate Juneteenth through in-person and online activities on this important federal holiday.

Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery. The holiday aligns with the moment enslaved people in the United States were finally freed 159 years ago. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people were free, more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year marks the fourth year Juneteenth has been recognized as a federal holiday.

Elon students, faculty and staff, along with community members can engage in a self-guided walking tour or review site information online. The self-guided walking tour will feature six major points with informational signs at each stop. Each sign will include an introduction to the stopping point and a QR code that will go to a webpage with information about the stopping point and the entire tour. Participants will learn some of the lesser-known histories of the Black community at Elon to commemorate Juneteenth.

Elon will also host a Juneteenth lunch in LaRose Commons 200 featuring a��Q&A, pop-up exhibit and a panel discussion. The panel will include Assistant Professor of History Amanda��Kleintop and Digital Collections and Systems Librarian and Assistant Librarian Shaunta Alvarez. Coordinator of University Archives & Special Collections and Assistant Librarian Kelly Policelli will be moderating along with some prepared questions. This will also be an opportunity to get community feedback on History & Memory activities in the future.��Lunch will be provided and will be first come, first served. Registration��is recommended.

This commemoration event is sponsored by the Black Lumen Project, �þ�� Archives and Special Collections, the��Committee on Elon History and Memory��and the Office of Inclusive Excellence Education and Development.

Amanda Kleintop announced as the next CSRCS Scholar

Claire Schoenfeld — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:40:03 +0000

Amanda Laury Kleintop, Assistant Professor of History, has been named the 2024-26 Scholar for the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society (CSRCS).

Amanda Laury Kleintop, Assistant Professor of History

During her term, Kleintop will develop digital humanities resources for examining the role of religious communities in Elon town and university history and pursue new research on Black enlistment and emancipation during the U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction. Additionally, she will help build CSRCS capacity for student research, internships, and digital humanities experience and foster campuswide engagement with local communities and institutions. She will assume her position on June 1, 2024.

“As someone fairly new to Elon, I’m enthusiastic to learn more about interdisciplinary, multifaith models at Elon, support the study of religion, culture, and society, develop opportunities for student research, and develop relationships with other campus partners and local communities,” Kleintop says.

CSRCS Director Brian Pennington says Kleintop is a natural fit for the role. “We are excited at the ways that Dr. Kleintop’s work aligns with Elon’s Multifaith Strategic Plan objectives,” Pennington said. “She will make important contributions as we look to develop student learning opportunities about the role of religious communities in U.S. history and in Elon’s history.”

Kleintop is a historian of the U.S. Civil War, Reconstruction and slavery and emancipation in the Atlantic World.

Her current book in progress, “The Balance of Freedom: Abolishing Property Rights in People in the U.S. Civil War and American Memory” is contracted with the University of North Carolina Press with an anticipated publication date in 2025. THe book tells the story of the Civil War and emancipation by examining post-war debates about compensating enslavers for the value of freed people and the legacies of these debates.

Kleintop joins the CSRCS with an impressive record of interdisciplinary collaboration and timely public scholarship. She received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University and her B.A. from the University of Richmond. Before coming to Elon in 2022, she was an assistant professor of history and coordinator of public history at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She comes to this new role with a strong scholarly and administrative background that prepares her well for the work she will undertake. Kleintop is also an experienced public and digital historian who helps students connect the histories of slavery and emancipation in the U.S. to their campuses and communities.

At Elon, Kleintop has taught a range of topics including courses on Civil War history, museum studies and early American history.

“Throughout my career as a historian, my research has informed my work on college campuses,” Kleintop said. “My goals have always been to build programs and spaces where students, campuses, and local communities can discuss complex topics in US history, like the history of enslavement and religion, grapple with how those histories shape our present, and decide how those histories should shape community action. I’m excited to continue this work with the CSRCS, which has already done so much to support similar work on campus and in the local community.”

Center for Design Thinking & campus partners welcome the Elon Community to this Spring’s HealthEU Fair this March 14

Danielle Lake — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 17:42:11 +0000

In partnership with HealthEU, Inclusive Excellence Education & Development, the Black Lumen Project and the Division of Student Life, the Center for Design Thinking will host a HealthEU Wellness Fair for Elon students and community members on March 14.

The fair is a part of the Center’s annual Design Forge conference. The kickoff event focuses on “Design for Belonging” with a keynote session from Shanice Webb, a Stanford University Life Design Lab fellow. Set to begin at 2:30 p.m. in McKinnon Hall, her keynote will show how taking one small step can allow for design connection and inclusivity in our spaces.

From there, participants will have a choice of six different lightning design sessions, each focused on a different aspect of wellness.

Community – Engage in creative making as a form of care and connection with an incredible group of conscientious troublemakers from N.C State University.
Emotional– It can be easier to suppress negative feelings rather than face them. Join Reverend Boswell to explore ways you can create productive pathways for processing difficult emotions.
Financial– We know that time is money, so whether you are not sure where to start your financial journey or just want to hear a new strategy, this session will share design principles and practical strategies to support your financial wellbeing.
Physical–�� Where does physical and mental health connect? This session will answer that question and empower you to walk away with habits that improve both.
Purpose– It is hard to find your purpose, but an easy start can be to identify your strengths. This session, presented by Corinne Townley, will help cultivate your talents and leverage your strengths to create a purpose-driven professional journey
Social– This session will practice strategies to cultivate all sizes of relationships in your life. From individuals to community groups, coming together is the first step.

More information, including the speakers and locations for each follow-up session can be found on the conference website. Registration is not required and all students, faculty, and staff of the Elon community are invited to attend.

Reach out to the Center for Design Thinking to learn more at elonbydesign@elon.edu.

Elon’s collaboration on Locating Slavery’s Legacies project aimed at education, empowerment

Michaela Zeno — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 15:03:41 +0000

�þ�� has been working in collaboration with a group of universities that is documenting Civil War memorials and monuments on campuses across the South to better understand their impact on higher education.

is a project initiated and overseen by in Sewanee, Tennessee. The university began this work in 2017 and the database is now part of its

The database project expanded in 2022 with a pilot phase designed to partner with other institutions already undertaking the important work of examining their histories related to race and slavery. “They invited schools like Wofford, Meredith, William & Mary, Virginia Military Institute and Furman — Southern region colleges and universities that were already doing this work,” said Shaunta Alvarez, digital collections and systems librarian, who has taken a leading role in Elon’s partnership with the project.

�þ�� in August 2018 began an effort that would become the Committee on Elon History and Memory and has focused on exploring questions related to historical memory and collective identity at the university. Elon does not have Confederate memorials or monuments on its campus, but its history and memory work positioned the university to play a role in the Locating Slavery’s Legacies project, with Alvarez leading the collaborative effort beginning in June 2022.

Everyone involved in creating the database is very passionate about the work, and the updated database is expected to be launched for the public later this year, Alvarez said. “The goal of the database is for each school to create its own site where they talk about their memorials,” Alvarez said.

In 2020, the Committee on Elon History and Memory issued its report and recommendation.

Since the launch of the pilot phase, collaborators from the participating universities and colleges have gathered monthly on Zoom on Friday mornings to advance the work on the database. The backend work and the framework for the database had already been completed before Elon and the other schools joined the effort. They have been guided by a data dictionary that defines all the information that is being put into the database. The meetings offered guidance to those doing the work, which has included uploading elements or answering questions about whether something is suitable for inclusion.

�þ�� from the partner schools have also played a role including uploading information, reading histories and more. There is high value in involving students in the conversation, Alvarez said.

“Teaching students how to do research about their school and learn the legacy of whether it’s influenced by slavery, or not” is important, she said. “It’s their school and they become a member of the community. They deserve to know.”

Elon has contributed to the database information around many of the people, policies and histories detailed in the Committee on Elon History and Memory’s 2020 report and recommendations. The report��detailed 10 episodes that illustrate both anti-Black racism and Black achievements that have been only partially told or erased. Added to the database are details about the legacy of William A. Harper, Elon’s fourth president whose name was removed from a residential building in 2020 due to racist behavior, to current efforts to diversify the curriculum. The database has more information about��the first black student,��Glenda Phillips, the��Phillips Perry Black Excellence Awards, and an on-campus monument to the Rev. James O’Kelley, the founder of the Christian Church, which founded Elon, and who advocated against slavery. Visitors to the database can also the history behind the Janice Ratliff building. Ratliff, who came to Elon in 1981, served for 35 years and became the first Black Elon staff member to have a building named in her honor.

Shaunta Alvarez, Digital Collections and Systems Librarian and Assistant Librarian at �þ��.

Sometimes confronting the negative impact of segregation on families can lead to healing and understanding, Alvarez said. There needs to be an openness and willingness to discuss the complexities of history, as well as the potential for healing and reconciliation through educational initiatives and public history projects. “If there’s a willingness to see the history as it is, there can be a point of healing,” she said.

The potential impact from healing, reconciliation and moving forward from painful portions of the country’s past is why the Locating Slavery’s Legacies database is so important. Alvarez said we should encourage people to always ask questions and learn about history, she said.

“Asking questions about people mentioned in street names gives a better understanding on the history and significance of these locations,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez sees room for The Locating Slavery’s Legacies database project to expand to something even greater in the future.

“I can see people going on virtual tours, visiting each other’s campuses to see these monuments,” she said. “I could see us doing a tour of partner colleges and hosting conferences at those different places.”

History & Memory | Today at Elon | �þ���