Mar 21 2024 40 mins 1
Dr. Martha S. Jones, Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor, Professor of History, and Professor at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, returns to the podcast to discuss her research project Hard Histories at Hopkins, which investigates the history of racism, discrimination, and slavery at Johns Hopkins University and its impact on the institution and communities in Baltimore. Toward Inclusive Excellence editor-in-chief Alexia Hudson-Ward chats with Martha on the development and genesis of the project, outlining its aim to “lift the hood” of the scholarly process with a webinar series and weekly posts on Substack. In addition, Martha highlights the contributions of Hard Histories’ student-led labs that provide consistent updates and continuity to the project throughout the year.
Further, Martha digs into why this work is labeled as “hard,” explaining the emotional and psychological toll that studying slavery takes on scholars and her own personal experience with this research. Speaking to the project’s impact at Johns Hopkins, Martha explains how it affects the legacy and standing of an institution as a pillar for education. To close, Martha and Alexia follow-up on their 2021 conversation on the banning of Martha’s book, Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Underscoring the threat book bans and censorship pose to American education, Martha reiterates the need to stay vigilant amongst efforts to sanitize the past and endanger democratic freedom.
Episode theme music: Black is the Night by Jeris (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. Ft: DJ Vadim (djvadim) , NiGiD
Further, Martha digs into why this work is labeled as “hard,” explaining the emotional and psychological toll that studying slavery takes on scholars and her own personal experience with this research. Speaking to the project’s impact at Johns Hopkins, Martha explains how it affects the legacy and standing of an institution as a pillar for education. To close, Martha and Alexia follow-up on their 2021 conversation on the banning of Martha’s book, Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Underscoring the threat book bans and censorship pose to American education, Martha reiterates the need to stay vigilant amongst efforts to sanitize the past and endanger democratic freedom.
Episode theme music: Black is the Night by Jeris (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. Ft: DJ Vadim (djvadim) , NiGiD
