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1619: The Making of America invites scholars, students and the public to participate in a series of roundtable discussions on a variety of topics related to the moment of contact that the arrival of "20. and odd" African slaves to the colony of Virginia. 1619 also marks two other firsts for the English colonies: the arrival of the first European women to a British colony and the first meeting of the House of Burgesses, both of which herald the beginning of Virginia as a permanent European settlement. The coming together of three ethnic groups, Europeans, Africans and Native Americans, marks the beginning of the creation of a uniquely American identity which has roots in the food, culture, literary and oral traditions and religions of all three groups. This conference is the first in a series of events planned in the Tidewater region of Virginia to mark the anniversary of this convergence, and will begin a discussion of how to commemorate the events of that year in a way that will increase popular understanding of the contributions of Native Americans and Africans to the history of the United States and of Virginia. The conference will be held at Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA on Friday and Saturday, September 21-22, 2012. Scholars, public historians, graduate students and community leaders interested in being a part of one of the roundtable discussions listed below should send a short c.v. and description of how their work contributes to the topic of the roundtable to sjrichmond@nsu.edu by August 13, 2012. Conference registration will be open for all attendees in early September, the cost of registration is $35 and includes breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday. Additional information available at http://www.nsu.edu/1619
Roundtable Topics:
• The Rendering of American Indian Images
• The Columbian Exchange and the Iberian Legacy in 1619
• Novelists, Griots, Travel Writers, and Keepers of Sacred Stories
• Consuming the Global Marketplace: Creating an American Foodway
• The Creolization of America: Beyond Black, White and Red
• Becoming American and the Spirit Voice: Identity Politics, Gender Roles and Religion in the Colonial Chesapeake
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