Dr. Kelly Goldberg Archaeology Lecture At Davidson College Jan 23
In a thought-provoking lecture titled “Connecting the Diaspora: Archaeology, Memory, and Transnationalism in the 19th Century Transatlantic World,” Dr. Kelly Goldberg delves into the profound impact of the nineteenth-century transatlantic slave trade on coastal West African environments and its far-reaching consequences throughout the Atlantic world.
During this pivotal era, as Britain exerted pressure on European and American imperial powers to combat the slave trade, it led to a redirection of these activities to more secluded areas like the Rio Pongo in coastal Guinea. In these regions, where imperial and national powers were scarce, both legal and contraband trade continued to thrive. Here emerged a distinct class of transnational trading families, establishing connections across the Atlantic, and shaping the local social and political landscapes.
Dr. Goldberg’s lecture employs interdisciplinary research to explore sites from the 19th and 20th centuries across the Atlantic world. By examining material culture, architectural remnants, documentary records, and oral historical accounts, the talk aims to unravel the intricate social dynamics and multiregional origins of a globally oriented African Diaspora.
As an Instructor for the Honors College at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Goldberg brings a wealth of expertise as a historical archaeologist. Her research specialties encompass the African Diaspora in West Africa and the eastern United States, with a focus on public archaeology, stakeholder relations, and museum studies and management.
Dr. Goldberg’s fieldwork includes significant contributions in James Island and Guinea, where she excavated slave trading ports in rural villages along coastal Guinea. Her research seeks to understand how the emerging transnational network of nineteenth-century trading families manipulated perceptions of identity during the abolition of the slave trade. Importantly, she explores the enduring impact of these identity manipulations on contemporary notions of memorialization and heritage.
In unraveling the threads of the past, Dr. Kelly Goldberg’s lecture promises to illuminate the complex historical tapestry of the 19th Century Transatlantic World, offering a fresh perspective on the interconnectedness of cultures, identities, and legacies.
7:30 PM — 8:30 PM
Visual Arts Center VAC-117 Semans Lecture Hall