MAPPING IDENTITY & COMMUNITY AS SITES OF HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHIC MEMORY I. Fundamental Questions of Human Existence II. WHY People of Color Need to Know Geography III. The Meaning of Community & Identity IV. Sites & Sources of Memory
Geography Speaks to the Fundamental Questions of Human Existence What am I?-Physical/Biological Facts of Life Who am I? Cultural Context of One’s Life Why am I? Purpose /Raison d’Etre How am I?Action/Praxis Where am I? Absolute and Relative Location/Situational Context Knowing Who You Are Depends on Knowing Where You Are
What is the Worst Feeling in the World? Being Lost Disorientation Knowing Where You’re Going Depends on Knowing Where You Have Been The Need for a Map The Need for Understanding Relations, Patterns & Distributions of Phenomena That Impact Life
Why People of Color Need to Know Geography Geography is the Science of European Imperialism, Racial Subordination & Spatial Control Mapping the Terrain of Americas, Africa and Asia prior to Colonialism and Slavery Constructing Anglo-American’s Mental Map and Worldview vis-à-vis Those POC Conquered The Legacy of Ideological And Institutional Racism Personal Prejudice v.s. Political-Economic Systems of Spatial Control Reservation-Plantation-Ghetto-Barrio-Bantustan Landscapes The Realities of Racial And Ethnic Identity Social & Spatial Construction of Identity
The Meaning of Community & Identity Modern Notions of Identity: I think therefore I am Traditional Notions of Identity: I am Because We Are & Because We are Therefore I am Identity and Community Context Interwoven Internal Dynamics of Community External Relations Between Communities
Sources of Memory Cultural Landscapes & Historic Landmarks of Community Community Building as a an Act of Human Agency, Resistance & Self-Determination Making History & Making Geography Historical Neighborhood & Settlement Patterns of Kin Social and Physical Relations
Sources of Memory Archival Bibliographical Memories of Elders and Ancestors Family Albums, Bibles and Scrapbooks Heirlooms Stories, Songs & Myths Legends & Lies Legacies of Silence
Sites of Memory Cultural Landscapes & Historic Landmarks of Community Community Building as a an Act of Human Agency, Resistance & Self-Determination Making History & Making Geography Historical Neighborhood & Settlement Patterns of Kin Social and Physical Relations
Key Terms: Geography Race Racism Segregation Community & Settlement Diaspora Frontier
The Historical Geographic Context of Remembering and Forgetting Memory formation as a process of remembering the particulars of one’s experiences The forgotten past as those things that we choose to not remember
Seeing Oneself in Local/ Diasporan Context
Geography and Worldview
Cartographic and Visual Representations of African American History