As Brown reflects on its 250th anniversary the university represents itself as a vanguard of the Ivy League. Despite this reputation as a liberal institution, the complicated histories of race at Brown are silenced in this dominant narrative.
Students in this sophomore seminar take up the charge of addressing critical questions of identity, equity, and justice. This exhibit seeks to critically remember the past 250 years of Brown University and reimagine its future. To do this the University must be willing to challenge the power and dominance of popular memory at Brown. The continued effort to silence minority narratives, and our refusal to be silenced, are critical components Brown’s history, without which the story of Brown’s 250 years is incomplete. This exhibit aims to provide a stepping-stone for fully remembering histories at Brown. Though it is hardly a complete history of race at Brown, we hope it can illuminate forgotten narratives at this institution in order to raise critical consciousness about race at Brown.