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Contextualization Plaques. Photo by Kevin Bain/University Communications Photography

Summary of the Status of the Work Conducted on the CACHC Recommendations

Click here to view the summary of the status.

Implementation of Plaques

The CACHC recommended two additional projects that received public input and were approved by Chancellor Jeff Vitter: restoration of headstones at the University Cemetery on campus and development of a memorial recognizing the U.S. Colored Troops from Lafayette County.  Two concurrent work groups have been established to undertake these projects, both to be chaired by Dr. John Neff, associate professor in the Arch Dalrymple Department of History and director of the Civil War Research Center.

  • The Work Group for the Troops Memorial will have as its primary purpose to develop a memorial to recognize “individuals from the local community who served in the Union Army as part of the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War,” and acknowledge “their efforts to bring secession and slavery to an end.” Members of this work group are:
    • John Neff, associate professor, Arch Dalrymple III Department of History; and director, Civil War Research Center (Work Group Chair)
    • Don Cole, associate provost and associate professor of mathematics (Work Group Vice Chair)
    • Leon Collins, CEO, MINACT, Inc.; major general (Retired); and president-elect, Ole Miss Alumni Association
    • Jeffrey Jackson,associate professor of sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
    • Andy Mullins, chief of staff to the chancellor emeritus; associate professor emeritus; and assistant director emeritus of the Mississippi Teacher Corps
    • Charles Ross, director, African American Studies and professor, Arch Dalrymple III Department of History
    • April Holm, assistant professor, Arch Dalrymple III Department of History
  • The Work Group for the Cemetery Headstone Project will have as its primary purpose to “…raise our understanding of this site as it connects to the role the university played as a hospital during the Civil War, and to restore the individual markers that once marked the graves of those who died in the (University) hospital…”.  Members of this work group are:
    • John Neff, associate professor, Arch Dalrymple III Department of History; and director, Civil War Research Center (Work Group Co-Chair)
    • Don Barrett, attorney (Work Group Co-Chair)
    • Leon Collins, CEO, MINACT, Inc.; major general (Retired); and president-elect, Ole Miss Alumni Association
    • Walton Gresham, president, Gresham Petroleum Co.
    • Will Lewis, Oxford merchant and community leader
    • Andy Mullins, chief of staff to the chancellor emeritus; associate professor emeritus; and assistant director emeritus of the Mississippi Teacher Corps

UM History and Context Plaques Ceremony

Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts

March 2, 2018      11 a.m.

 

 

Click to read welcome remarks from Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter

Click here to read the Keynote Address, “Crossroads” by John R. Neff, associate professor of history and director, Center for Civil War Research

Introduction of plaque readings, Katrina Caldwell, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement

Reading of the plaques, Student Ambassadors

  • Longstreet Hall:  Austin Spindler
  • George Hall:  Courtney Cone
  • Lamar Hall:  Kelly Slater
  • Barnard Observatory:  Brittany Brown
  • Tiffany Stained-Glass Window in Ventress Hall:  Nekkita Beans
  • Enslaved Laborers:  JuWan Robinson
  • Alternate:  Genevieve Halington-Verville

Closing remarks,  Alice M. Clark, interim vice chancellor for university relations

Reception, Ford Center Lobby

Shuttles available to/from Ford Center to plaque sites

Student Docents

Longstreet Hall:  Megan McCleod and Kelsea White

George Hall:  Tim Steenwyk and Caroline Tiner

Lamar Hall:  AJ Davidson and Victoria Robinson

Barnard Observatory:  Jarrius Adams and Gabe Brisco

Stained Glass, Ventress Hall:  Malerie Lovejoy and Dariel Wicks

Enslaved Laborers:  Terrius Harris and Seth Dickinson

On December 5, 2017, UM announced that it would hold a ceremony to unveil the contextualization plaques recommended by the CACHC.

In addition to the physical sites listed in the Phase II charge, the CACHC’s final report in Section B put forth two additional sites of university history for contextualization:

  • Stained-glass windows in Ventress Hall, for which the committee recommended adding a plaque dedicated to the sacrifice of the University Greys;
  • Confederate Cemetery and related projects, for which the committee recommended adding individual gravestones to recognize the sacrifice of each person known to be buried there as well as a marker in an appropriate location to recognize the men from Lafayette County who served in the Civil War in the U.S. Colored Troops.

These two additional sites were not included in the original Phase II charge and therefore were not formally open to public input.  To reinforce the importance of community engagement and input, public input was formally sought via an online submission form from July 6–31, 2017, prior to taking any action related to these items.  With the public review and comment period complete and having received very positive feedback, Chancellor Vitter has accepted these two additional sites of university history for contextualization.