Twin Memorials Working Group
Background
President Fenves announced the reappointment and expansion of the Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations in October 2020. In their report delivered on April 1, 2021, the Task Force proposed a number of recommendations to memorialize enslaved persons who labored to build Emory's original campus at Oxford and others whose labor has not been fully acknowledged by the university, as well as to develop educational programs about Emory's history.
In a letter to the Emory community on June 28, 2021, President Fenves announced the establishment of the Twin Memorials Working Group to move forward and implement a plan for memorials that will articulate and interconnect the shared histories of the Emory and Oxford campuses.
Charge
Building on the recommendations from the report of the Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations, materials in the Emory Libraries, and relevant and available scholarship, the Twin Memorials Working Group was charged with:
- drafting a Request for Proposals for architectural firms to design and construct Twin Memorials to honor the enslaved individuals and their descendants who lived and worked on the original campus of Emory at Oxford College;
- developing plans for continued memorialization of Emory’s enslaved laborers through annual events, campus-wide programming, orientation for new students to the Oxford and Atlanta campuses, and recognition of those who continued to work on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses following emancipation; and
- collaborating with various stakeholders to develop initiatives that contribute to making Emory’s past known to internal and external audiences.
President Fenves appointed, as chairs of the working group, Douglas Hicks, dean of Oxford College and William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Religion, and Gregory Ellison II 99C, associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at Candler School of Theology.
Molly McGehee and Carol Henderson were appointed co-chairs following the departure of Doug Hicks in August 2022. McGehee is associate professor of English and American studies, associate dean for faculty development, and director of the Center for Teaching and Scholarship at Oxford College. Henderson serves as vice provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion; chief diversity officer; and special adviser to the president.
The working group coordinated community input on preliminary design concepts for the Twin Memorials and presented recommendations to the president.
Past Community Engagement
Oxford
Meeting 1 – Oxford (on Campus)
DATE: Monday, September 12, 2022
TIME: 1:30–3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Oxford College Student Center, 801 Wesley St.
Meeting 2 – Oxford (on Campus)
DATE: Monday, September 12, 2022
TIME: 5:30–7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Oxford College Student Center, 801 Wesley St.
Meeting 3 – Oxford (on Campus)
DATE Tuesday, September 13, 2022
TIME 1:30–3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Oxford College Student Center, 801 Wesley St.
Meeting 4 – Oxford (off Campus)
DATE: Tuesday, September 13, 2022
TIME: 5:30–7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, 100 W Richardson St.
Emory
Meeting 5 – Atlanta (on Campus)
DATE: Wednesday, September 14, 2022
TIME: 1:30–3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Emory University Student Center, 605 Asbury Circle
Meeting 6 – Atlanta (on Campus)
DATE: Wednesday, September 14, 2022
TIME: 5:30–7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Ackerman Hall, Carlos Museum
Meeting 7 – Atlanta (off Campus)
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 2022
TIME: Noon–2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Ebenezer Baptist Church
Meeting 8 – Atlanta (off Campus)
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 2022
TIME: 4:30–6:30 p.m.
LOCATION: the Hatchery at Emory Point
- February 3—Oxford College staff, Phi Gamma Hall, 2:30–4:00 p.m.
- February 3—Descendant community, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Oxford, Georgia, 5:30–7:00 p.m.
- February 4—Oxford College students, Mural Room, Student Center, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- February 4—Oxford staff and faculty, Phi Gamma Hall, 3:30–5:00 p.m.
- February 17—Descendant community, Oxford College Student Center, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
- February 17—Oxford College students, Student Center, 8:00–9:30 p.m.
- February 18—Emory undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students, Candler School of Theology, Rita Anne Rollins Building, 1531 Dickey Drive, Theology Room 360, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- February 18—Campus Life staff, Emory Student Center, Multipurpose Rooms 2–3, 605 Asbury Circle, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
- February 24—Virtual meeting open to all communities, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
- March 3—Virtual Focus Group, Zoom link provided upon registration, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
- March 16—Atlanta Community and Emory Alumni Focus Group, Ebenezer Baptist Church, lunch provided, (Noon–1:30 p.m.
- March 16—Student Focus Group, Cox Hall, 3rd Floor, 7:00–8:30 p.m.
- March 17—Faculty Focus Group, Woodruff Library, Jones Room, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
- March 24—Virtual Focus Group, Zoom link provided upon registration, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
- March 30—Atlanta Community and Emory Alumni Focus Group, Manuel’s Tavern, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
- March 31—Staff, Faculty, and Student Focus Group, Woodruff Library, Jones Room, 3:30–5:00 p.m.
- March 31—Student Focus Group, Student Center, Multipurpose Rooms 2 and 3, lunch provided, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Final Twin Memorials Working Group Report
The Twin Memorials Working Group delivered its Report on Community Engagement and Memorial Design Workshops to President Fenves in fall 2022.
Recommended Actions
In addition to completing the memorials, the working group advised the university to consider taking the following actions to demonstrate its long-term commitment and enhance the impact of the memorials:
- strategically addressing "archival silence"
- expanding the scope of descendant engagement
- developing curricular initiatives and programming
- establishing Campus Services awards
- employing people of color for the design and construction of the Twin Memorials
- posting a code of conduct in the Twin Memorials spaces
Working Group Membership
Co-Chairs
Gregory Ellison II 99C
Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Candler School of Theology
Carol Henderson
Chief Diversity Officer; Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Advisor to the President
Molly McGehee 07PhD
Associate Professor of English and American Studies, Associate Dean for Faculty Development, and Director of the Center for Teaching and Scholarship, Oxford College
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Enku Gelaye | Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life |
| James Johnson | University Landscape Architect |
| Tayari Jones | Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing |
| Siva Prasad Kalimuthu 23B | Graduate Student Government Association President |
| Leah Maille 22N | Graduate Student Government Association |
| Noah Marchuck 24C | SGA President, Atlanta Campus |
| Joe Moon | Dean for Campus Life, Oxford College |
| Walter Rucker | Professor of History, Emory College of Arts and Sciences |
| Nakita Soukoury | Campus Services |
| Avis Williams 78Ox 98C 08T 18T | Alumna; Descendant Community Liaison |
| Andrew Yang 23Ox | SGA President, Oxford College |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Rachel Ding 20Ox 22B | President, Student Government Association |
| Douglas Hicks | Dean and William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Religion, Oxford College |
| Emma Sveen 23JD/MBA | JD/MBA Candidate |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Jonathan Butler 96C | Former president of Emory Alumni Board |
| Rev. Gregory W. McGonigle | University Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life |
| Robin Morey | Vice President and Chief Planning Officer of Campus Services |
| David M. Schuster | Chair, University Public Art Committee |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Sarah Dobbs | Executive Administrative Assistant, Oxford College |
| Anjulet Tucker 00C 09PhD | Director of Presidential Initiatives and Special Projects, Office of the President |