As the Getting Word African American Oral History Project approaches its 28th anniversary, a new generation of descendants is rising. Active in education, the arts, politics, and in their communities, they share an ambition: racial and social justice.

Join us for a virtual conversation with three descendants of Monticello’s enslaved community: historian Andrew M. Davenport, artist Jabari C. Jefferson, and activist Myra Anderson on February 20 at 2:00 p.m. EST. Free and open to the public.

Panelists  

Andrew M. Davenport (moderator) is a Ph.D. student in U.S. History at Georgetown University. A former History teacher at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep, Fairfield Prep, and a former adjunct professor of African American Art History at Fairfield University, Davenport's writings on American arts and culture have appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, Lapham's Quarterly, Literary Hub, Los Angeles Review of Books, and other publications. He is a descendant of the enslaved Hemings and Hubbard families at Monticello.

 

Jabari C. Jefferson is a mixed media oil painter based in Washington, D.C. His vibrant, multimedia paintings are layered with found mixed media material such as books, fabric, paper, ink, acrylic and oil paints. Through his art he hopes to illustrate “what the process of learning looks like,” while inspiring others to explore personal development and identity. He is a descendant of the enslaved Granger, Hemings, and Evans families at Monticello.

Myra Anderson is a Charlottesville native, social entrepreneur, mental health advocate, and social justice activist. She is a community fellow at the Equity Center of the University of Virginia, a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Charlottesville Metropolitan Chapter, and a member of the Historic Resources Committee of Albemarle County. Most recently, Anderson was appointed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services to the Marcus Alert Stakeholder group. She is a descendant of the enslaved Hern families at Monticello.