When administrators at Stockton University in Galloway, NJ moved the bust of Richard Stockton from its place of prominence at the library entrance, reactions from across the campus, wider community, and the press were immediate, diverse, and impassioned. Some people complained that the university had succumbed to political correctness, while others argued that removing the bust of a slaveholder did not go far enough. This presentation explores the teachable moment that resulted, as well as the university’s plan of action, including: a series of programs about the study of history and the processes of memorialization and commemoration; a research initiative to produce a well-documented, comprehensive study about our institution's past; and, most importantly, time and space for multiple perspectives to be heard, discussed, and critically evaluated.

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Lori Vermeulen, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Robert Gregg, Dean, School of General Studies

Michelle McDonald, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs

Join us for a roundtable discussion about the goals of the Stockton Exhibition Project. Unfolding over the 2017-18 year, this work will explore the history of Stockton University, including how and why the state college was named for Richard Stockton (1730-1781), a New Jersey signer of the Declaration of Independence, in 1969. Our goals through this project, and its associated public programming, are to provide opportunities to engage in discussions about the study of history and the processes of memorialization and commemoration, as well as produce a well-documented, comprehensive study about our institution’s past.

Moderator: Donnetrice Allison, Professor of Africana Studies and Communications

Discussants: Wendel White, Distinguished Professor of Art Robert Gregg, Dean of the School of General Studies Michelle McDonald, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

• Program Flyer
• Stockton Times Review, November 2, 2017