Marley Brown Honored at SHA Symposium
Long-time Research Professor in the Departments of Anthropology and History at the College of William and Mary, Dr. Marley R. Brown III, was honored with a symposium at this year's annual meetings of the Society for Historical Archaeology in Seattle, Washington in January of 2015. The symposium, entitled "Making Waves: A celebration of the scholarship and influence of Marley Roberts Brown III" was organized and chaired by Dr. Audrey Horning (William and Mary, 1989) currently Professor of Archaeology at Queens College, Belfast. There was so much interest in participating that the symposium had to be presented in two sessions, since all of the accepted papers weren't able to fit into one! Seventeen papers were presented, delivered by colleagues and students representing a wide range of areas and topics, stretching back to Marley's days as a PhD student and faculty member at Brown University, to his stint at the National Park Service in San Francisco and as a faculty member at Sonoma State University. Among those participating and attending were Steve Mrozowski, Audrey Horning, Maria Franklin, Andrew Edwards, Ywone Edwards Engram, Chris Fennell, Julie King, Fred Smith, Anna Agbe Davis, Eric Deetz, Andy Beaupre, Steve Pendery, Mike Jarvis, Steve Archer, Joanne Bowen and Kevin Bartois.
Dr. Brown's long tenure as Director of Archaeological Research at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation provided the context for a wide variety of substantive and experimental research. Dr. Brown received praise for his support of women and minorities in historical archaeology, and for his willingness to work with students and colleagues on a wide range of projects, including research in Bermuda, Barbados, and elsewhere in the Caribbean. The symposium showcased, not only the impact of Dr. Brown's work, but how instrumental he has been in facilitating the careers of so many historical archaeologists in the field today. As a Research Professor at William and Mary, Dr. Brown has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses for nearly thirty years and has served on numerous MA and PhD thesis committees. Many of his students are now mentoring their own crop of graduates in programs around the country, including Dr. Fred Smith, now an Associate Professor in the Anthropology Department here at William and Mary. The speakers agreed that Dr. Brown's focus on "Comparative Colonial Archaeology," has been an important influence on the field, and the source of much creative recent scholarship as well. The organizers plan to submit the symposium for publication sometime this year.
