In August, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights convened the 2024 National Summit of Transformative Memorialization — called “Unturning the Stones” — to address how communities can honor America’s neglected history of forced labor and racial injustice in ways that transform our society. The Center’s Truth & Transformation Program, the summit’s host, is dedicated to memorializing neglected history and teaching a more comprehensive and honest account of the past — and helping other communities do the same — as a way to help America move forward in positive ways.
The Summit provided a platform for practitioners, experts, government officials, and community members to share insights, identify best practices, and develop collaborative approaches in this important work. Through workshops and panel discussions, participants explored innovative ways to commemorate past injustices and inspire transformative actions.
The Summit brought together 126 attendees from across the nation, including Georgia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, New York, Louisiana, Arkansas, Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Illinois. These participants represented a rich tapestry of professional backgrounds, professors and directors from educational institutions, leaders and members of nonprofits focused on community development and historical preservation, specialists from cultural heritage foundations, urban planners and policy advisors from city and county departments, and community activists. This broad spectrum of expertise and experience fostered a dynamic dialogue, integrating diverse perspectives to drive collaboration and tackle complex societal challenges.
Africatown Heritage Preservation Foundation * African American Redress Network * African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund * Alonzo Crim Center * Alliance Theatre * Anise Search * Bayt Ujima * Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights * Better Together Advisory Board, City of Decatur, GA * Bethany Christian Services * Capital B Atlanta * Caribbean American Cultural Arts Foundation * CBDC + FCRC * Chattahoochee Brick Company Descendants Coalition * Chit Chat Communications * City of Atlanta Department of City Planning * City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation * City of Decatur * Community Health Aligning Revitalization Resilience & Sustainability (CHARRS) * Culture Centers International, Inc * Develop Fulton * Emory University * FCS Teaching Museum * Foot Soldiers Park * Former City Council Member, City of Pine Lake * Ford Family Historian * Full Circle Living * Fulton County * Georgia Institute of Technology * Georgia State University * Georges Charles * Green Team of English Avenue Inc * Greenwood Cultural Center * Grove Park Foundation * Grow to Consume * Harris County Precinct One * Harvard University * Idle Crimes and Heavy Work, Spelman College * International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT) * IPaT @ Georgia Institute of Technology * KAI * Kinfolk Tech Foundation * Lafayette Community Remembrance Project * Laureus USA * MASS Design Group * Memphis Lynching Sites Project of Memphis * MLK Sr Collaborative * Monument Lab * Moonshine Phantom Creates * Morehouse College * Multifaith Initiative * NAACP Dekalb * Narrating Justice Project * GSU-CMII * National Collaborative for Health Equity * Northstar Parenting * OURavl * Out of Hand Theater * SaportaReport * Sewanee, The University of the South * Southern Truth and Reconciliation * Superior ATM * Tahirih Justice Center * The Atlanta Journal Constitution * The Descendant Project * Trust for Public Land * Tsuru for Solidarity * UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali * University of Arkansas Little Rock * University of Connecticut * University of North Carolina * Urban Strategies Inc * WABE * WAWA (Urban Conservation and Community Fellow) * WD * Young Adult Guidance Center
PANEL 1
Sankofa: Public History and Storytelling
Discussion: Highlighted the importance of preserving African American history and using it to shape the future.
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PANEL 2
Truth Telling for Change
Discussion: Explored frameworks for uncovering hidden histories and the transformative power of truth-telling.
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PANEL 3
Memorialization: Weaving the Fabric of Reparations and Advocacy
Discussion: Examined how memorialization and advocacy serve as symbolic reparations and advance reconciliation.
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PANEL 4
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Navigating Public Systems
Discussion: Shared strategies for public historians to engage with public systems and build partnerships.
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PANEL 5
Funding Accurate Historical Narratives
Discussion: Addressed the need for diverse financial sponsors and sustaining memorialization efforts.
Key Takeaways:
The Summit facilitated deep, transformative discussions and yielded actionable insights that we’ve compiled to share broadly and support ongoing memorialization efforts. These insights are a crucial resource for those dedicated to preserving our collective history and fostering meaningful change. Notably, this was the first national gathering of its kind, marking a significant milestone. Additionally, NCCHR was pleased to offer travel stipends to attendees traveling from outside Atlanta.
The investment in the Summit has significantly enhanced our understanding and strategies for memorialization. This event has reinforced our leadership in the field and bolstered our case for continued and future investments in our initiatives.