Plannerry. I think when we were planning the conference, we always like to bring our heavy hitters out. And i think today is one of those occasions in which we have a collection of fine scholars and activists here to address our theme. So what we decided to do is run the plannerry more as a roundtable, as a moderated conversation about issue with the great migration. And i wanted to introduce our panelists and give them an opportunity to speak for a few minutes as far as their own work and their perceptions and ideas about the great migration and then move on into a question and answer followed by a discussion with us and followed by a question answer session with the audience. So i want to introduce our panelists. Our first pannestist is joe trotter who is a giant eagle professor of history in social justice and past History Department chair at cornegy university in pittsburgh. He is also the director and founder of the cornegy center for africanamerican urban studies in economy. Hes
I was born shortly after the 2nd world war and my brother was already there and we led a sheltered childhood in the 1950 s. And then at some point i realised our family was different from the others my parents had a lot of friends and i often heard words like resistance and red orchestra. At school some people started or spring when my fathers name was mentioned and i caught things like you just be an option treason. For my parents spies traitors. And later i realized that i was not alone that having such thoughts. Good food from him from i felt from the very beginning that i was somehow an outsider but i could not figure out why the other children was so hostile towards me there was several times when children jumped on me and wanted to beat me up were invalid and. Or so who lives and then finally my teacher said to my mother its this now its clear to me what axel is so bad at school as the son of a traitor i cannot expect anything else. Or and with deep in this car when my mother cam
Had a lot of friends and i often heard words like resistance and red orchestra. At school some people started or spring when my fathers name was mentioned and i got things like espionage and treason. Where my parents spies traitors. And later i realized that i was not alone in having such thoughts. Good food from them from i felt from the very beginning that i was somehow im outside but i could not figure out why the other children was so hostile towards me that was several times when children jumped on me and wanted to beat me up. Or didnt do that and then finally my teacher said to my mother its this now its clear to me what accent is so bad at school as the son of a traitor as i cannot expect anything else. Went bitties a deep in this calm when my mother came. Home after that. I never actually seen her cry before but i remember that i saw something terrible and realize that she had tears in her eyes werent. About those things you never forget when youre a child or 2 or deceit your d
The wpa did in california, and then you fall down this rabbit hole and you find that theres everything else. And its a its a universe. So now what we are is a National Team that is identifying, mapping and interpreting the physical legacy of, the new deal, which is absolutely colossal. Its all around us. Its indispensable, able, but we dont see it. And thats accidental. So what were doing, we have a very active chapter in new york city, some of whom are here today. And what were doing is excavating a lost civilization. Its what i call the lost ethical language of new deal, public works. These objects which are everywhere, are trying to speak to us in a language which we have been persuaded to forget. And the effort to erase the roosevelt legacy. About april 12, 1945, when roosevelt safely dead and they could to do that. So thats what were trying to do. And we established a few years ago a prize, the best book on roosevelt or the new deal out of a of books being published year theres we
Absolutely. Anything else . Where are we a time . Well, i think its probably time to move on to the the book signing. If people interested in having me sign the book, i would love to do that. And of course, we have another wonderful talk coming up, too. So thank you. Today id like to welcome a good friend jill watts. And she is. Shes conducted Much Research here at the library, and shes a Professor Emeritus of history at california state university, san marcos, where she teaches courses on black history and social and political history. United states. Shes written extensively, including hattie mcdaniel, black ambition, white hollywood, mae west, an icon in black and white and god. Harlem, usa, the Father Divine story, which has its own sort of local connections, in a way, jills book, the black homeowner, about which shell be speaking today, is the black cabinet the untold story of africanamericans in politics during the age of roosevelt. And shes recently served on the external Advisor