DISQUIET:

Tracing American Slavery

This is a work in progress which intends to help establish the imperative for an American slavery memorial
by producing a study of the collective disquiet of slavery's corrosive legacy, paralleled by an investigation of
the cultural context of memorial making. The combined objective is to galvanize public support and instigate
a response to the summons for this non-traditional memorial project.
The realization of the Tracing American Slavery project will require several distinct phases.
The first phase, currently seeking funding, is the design and creation of an interactive web site based on
the theme of cultural disquiet to serve as a locus for essential public discourse.

The emerging memorial strategy, project conceptualization, research, and debate will be made public via the web site,
acting as a barometer of the civic disposition with respect to the dual themes of slavery1s legacy and memorial making.
By spatializing the history of American slavery and its contemporary cultural heritage,
we intend to create a public platform for critical discussion and exchange. Through public exhibition of disquiet,
we hope to jostle the veil of complacency that cloaks an enduring presence of slavery in American society.