Yale Professor David Blight Discusses Slavery in America

Yale Professor of American History David Blight spent the morning at Hopkins, speaking at an all-school assembly and two Q&A sessions in the Calarco Library. Prof. Blight was invited to speak about slavery in America and New England, particularly around the time of the founding of schools like Hopkins and Yale. Blight was introduced by senior Eli Sabin, who recently wrote an article for The Razor that explored Edward Hopkins' relationship to slavery, and called on the School to reflect on this part of its history. Dr. Bynum, Head of School, explained that Professor Blight was “invited to help us frame, recognize, acknowledge and grow from this part of our past.”

As Hopkins works to reconcile with its past, he urged us to proceed with caution with this difficult conversation, and offered three points of advice in taking on this longer discussion. 1. Be deliberative. Create a process of deliberation, form committees, look at the past and be sure to get the facts and details right. 2. Try a little humility. Though humility may not be in great supply, we as a culture should practice more humility, and perhaps we can learn to do good by examining evil. 3. Read and learn more history, as many of the challenges we face have happened before.

Blight also spoke of the effects of the shooting in Charleston, SC at the Emanuel AME Church in June 2015, and how this event spurred outrage, debate and action around the U.S. about our collective history with slavery and racism in the aftermath of the Civil War. He also shared his personal connection to Reverend Clementa Pinckney who was killed in the shooting, as well as his involvement on the committee at Yale tasked with evaluating the renaming of Calhoun College.

Students asked questions of Prof. Blight throughout the morning on topics including confederate statues, the Constitution and current politics.

Blight closed assembly by saying, “History is as old as the hills and as new as right now. Keep the long view, try a little humility.”

Please watch the full video of Professor Blight’s assembly address below.

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