Fall at the University is striking. On Tuesday mornings, I walk through the Lawn archway on the West side of the Rotunda heading toward the Music Library. Stepping out of the shadows cast by construction, a resplendent view of the Lawn stretches before me. The haze of summer and stifling Virginia humidity have given way to crisp air and a brilliant October sky. Sunshine streams through the colonnades and spills out across the cobbled brick and the Lawn is doused in varying hues of vibrant gold — nothing about this beauty is subtle.
In an effort to preserve a modicum of self-respect, I try to keep my camera phone tucked away. I revel — and I have significant trouble reminding myself that the University may be more gilt than gold.
I spent a significant portion of my summer researching slavery at the University. The more I studied, the more I realized that the most classically aesthetic features of our school — the serpentine walls, Pavilion gardens, Old Cabell Hall, the intricate brickwork and even the sloping terraces on the Lawn itself — are historically rooted in the subjugation of black individuals. An unnamed Confederate soldier statue stands in the McCormick cemetery with the inscription: “Fate denied them victory but crowned them with glorious immortality.” The dignified status stands tall, mere feet from the unmarked graves of 67 enslaved laborers.
Most of us will graduate with minimal-to-no understanding of the people and events that physically and culturally shaped our school into the institution we know today. While I’m not saying students should actively spend their free time contemplating or seeking out the University’s flaws, historical awareness is important. Luckily, if we are willing to open ourselves up to the information, it’s not difficult to become informed.
Memorialization of Enslaved Laborers (MEL), a student organization dedicated to raising awareness of slavery at early U.Va., gained significant traction this past semester. In addition to attaining CIO status, MEL has recruited dozens of students passionate about the cause. MEL’s monthly informational newsletter on slavery provides a convenient method for raising awareness at the University, and I hope you’ll subscribe.
A couple of weeks ago, I was walking home across the Lawn. It was late — even by college student standards — and though far from unbearable, the chilly air turned my breath pearly white and I drew further inside my wool coat. I couldn’t bring myself to quicken my pace, though; the sky was replete with stars and the soft glow of Pavilions brought warmth and comfort. There was no hum of traffic in the distance — just the sound of my footsteps echoing up the brick walk and the steady hoot of a nearby owl somewhere in the dark trees. The rich scent of wood smoke conjured up a feeling I could only describe as nostalgia. This, I imagined, is what it would have been like to walk across the Lawn as a student on a fall night in 1850.
My fantasy was cut short, however, when I considered a fundamental historical flaw: as a young woman, I would not have been admitted to study as an undergraduate until 1970 — far later than I would have been admitted at many comparable universities. In 1850, enslaved laborers would have still been a prominent presence on Grounds. Our University has historically been a place of virulent discrimination.
I’m not suggesting students should live in the past or that we should let this dark history tarnish our undergraduate experiences. After all, I’m passionate about being a Hoo. But maybe we should question our reverence for this place. Though U.Va. has made significant strides, the very first commemorative plaque for enslaved laborers was installed less than 10 years ago in 2007. Frankly, the memorial leaves much to be desired.
Fall at the University is striking — but we need to be cognizant of what’s beneath the surface. There is nothing poetic or beautiful about our history of slavery — or of sexism, racism or homophobia, for that matter. However, if we can be critical of our University’s past and present — paying respect and homage to those who shaped it — then I am hopeful for our future.
Tori’s column runs biweekly Fridays. She can be reached at t.travers@cavalierdaily.com.
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