About the Committee
Student Resolution of 2007
In 2007, the Student Assembly of William and Mary passed a resolution proposed by Tiseme Zegeye, class of '08, calling for the Board of Visitors to establish a commission to:
- research College of William and Mary’s role in slavery
- make the findings public
- establish a memorial to the enslaved and recognize their contributions to the college
In 2009, the Board of Visitors responded by:
- recognizing that the College owned and exploited slave labor
- acknowledging that the College failed to take a stand against segregation during the Jim Crow Era
- offering support to establish The Lemon Project: A Journey of Reconciliation
Since its formation, The Lemon Project has aimed to address the history of slavery at the college and its many effects; the current project to memorialize the enslaved is one facet of many to enrich the history of the college and ensure the inclusion of African American narratives.
Taking it to the Classroom
Due to combined student interest and the establishment of The Lemon Project, Jody Allen and Ed Pease co-taught a course addressing the memorialization of the enslaved. Undergraduates, graduate students, and community members took the course together and collaborated to determine a way this could happen at the college.
