A “Monuments, Markers and Memory” symposium

This four-part series, from January 23 to February 6, “critically explores power, politics and activism around public monuments and memorials” while uniting artists, academics, activists, politicians and institutions to promote restorative justice, social equity and legislative action. Uzi Baram, Ph.D., professor of anthropology and heritage studies at New College and the director of the New College Public Archaeology Lab, is among the speakers.

“Too much of the rich heritage of Sarasota-Manatee is missed by the public because of the muffling of history, particularly Black history,” said Baram, whose talk entitled “Critical Approaches to Heritage, Monuments and Memory in the Academy” will be held on February 3. “For my scholarship—and personally, for me and my family—an accurate portrayal of the past opens up potential possibilities for meeting the challenges of the present, especially on the social divides of race and other inequalities.”

The symposium is centered on the works of artist, writer and activist John Sims and his recent series of op-eds in the Tampa Bay Times urging the public to “start deep conversations around the culture of white supremacy and propriety of South Heritage.” A focal point of the symposium’s events is the Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park in Ellenton, which reflects these larger concerns. During the symposium, Baram will discuss the value of antiracist archaeology and history, and encourage state officials to move forward with Sims’ future vision for the memorial.

The series begins with a panel on January 23, opening the “Marking Monuments” exhibition at the University of South Florida (USF) Contemporary Art Museum. In each of the four events, participants will examine the themes of reimagining, response, recovery and redress. The series will conclude with a keynote presentation called “The Plantation as Marker, Memorial and Monument” by Sims on February 6.

Sponsors for the symposium include Florida Humanities, the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN), the USF Department of Anthropology, the USF Contemporary Art Museum, the USF ResearchOne, The Ringling Museum, and the New College Public Archaeology Lab. Funding for the program is provided through a grant from Florida Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The schedule is as follows:

“Monuments: Contemporary Interventions in Public Space” at 11 a.m. Sat. Jan. 23 with Ariel René Jackson, Patricia Enuji Kim, Joiri Minaya, Karyn Olivier and John Sims (moderated by Sarah Howard, USF curator of public art and social practice; and presented by the USF Contemporary Art Museum). Join here

“Challenging the State-Sponsored Protection of Confederate Monuments, Iconography and Heritage in Florida” at 2 p.m. Sat. Jan. 30 with Thomas Barwin, Antoinette Jackson, John Sims and Diane Wallman (moderated by Renee Gilmore, and presented by USF and FPAN). Join here

“Critical Approaches to Heritage, Monuments and Memory in the Academy” at 7 p.m. Wed. Feb. 3 with Uzi Baram, Tiffany C. Fryer, Jennifer Scott and Diane Wallman (moderated by Emerald Morrow; and presented by the New College Public Archaeology Lab, USF and FPAN). Join here

“The Plantation as Marker, Memorial and Monument” at 7 p.m. Sat. Feb. 6 with John Sims (presented by The Ringling Museum). Join here

For more information, visit facebook.com/monumentsandmemorycollective/

Abby Weingarten is the senior editor in the Office of Communications & Marketing.