Commemoration Committee
The Special Committee on Commemoration recommended a visible and appropriate commemoration to honor the contributions of enslaved people and others whose labor was exploited.
This Committee, which was composed of Trustees and non-Trustees appointed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, was entrusted with the following responsibility:
Engage broadly with the ¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾«Æ·ÍƼö community to recommend a visible and appropriate commemoration, including the possibility of commissioning a work of art, on campus to honor the contributions of enslaved people and others whose labor was exploited.
The committee’s work established these characteristics and priorities:
- Use the College’s archives to acknowledge individuals and family legacies.
- Acknowledge the atrocities, injustices, omissions, and blind spots of the past while also imagining a new future.
- Stir empathy, and focus on perseverance, triumph, and the valuable contributions of those being commemorated.
- Include an interactive element and engage multiple senses.
- Acknowledge what we don’t know and allow for new research and discoveries.
- Focus on the roles and history of ¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾«Æ·ÍƼö and the town of Davidson in the institution of slavery.
- Weave together artwork, landscape design, and function so that individuals each draw a unique reaction and that the site also can serve as a setting for campus gatherings or community events.
In 2023, after a call for qualifications, project finalists were selected and a jury identified the most highly qualified artist/architect/team for this opportunity: .
Virgil Fludd '80, Member of the Board of Trustees, President-elect of the Alumni Association Board, Chair of the Special Committee on Commemoration
Committee News
¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾«Æ·ÍƼö trustee Cintra Pollack ’99 has pledged her support for a project to commemorate the lives and contributions of enslaved persons whose labor contributed to the growth and development of the college. Five artist teams will present their
The Trustees’ Special Committee on Commemoration started with a clear focus: It’s about the people. The committee began with the fundamentals of understanding those whom the college seeks to commemorate – the enslaved persons and others whose labor was
Committee Members
- Virgil Fludd '80, Chair
- Betsy Fleming
- Dave Hall '84
- John Laughlin '85
- Cintra Pollack '99
- Pat Rodgers
- Janet Stovall '85
Consulting Members
- Cort Savage, faculty
- Hilary Green, advisor
- Lia Newman, liaison
- Jeff Prince, liaison
Jury
- Virgil Fludd '80
- Betsy Fleming
- Dave Hall '84
- John Laughlin '85
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- Cintra Pollack '99
- Pat Rodgers
- Janet Stovall '85
- Cort Savage
- Hilary Green
- Lia Newman
- Jeff Prince
- Bernetta Graham
- Clint Smith ’10
- Tyler Yvette Wilson ’14
- Nathanael Bagonza ‘24
Committee Reports
The Committees shall make periodic reports to the Campus Strategy, Planning, and Use Committee. The Committee shall work with the Campus Strategy, Planning, and Use Committee to bring recommendations to the Board.
Contact
We look forward to engaging the community in aspects of this work and will circulate details as those opportunities become available. If you would like to stay up to date on the work of the committee by adding your name to our mailing list, or if you have other questions, or email specialcommittees@davidson.edu.
Timeline
All dates are tentative and subject to change.
| Date | Task | Description |
|---|---|---|
| July 2021 | Campus Site Visit | Committee members visited with David Holthouser, Senior Executive Director of Facilities and Engineering |
| Sept. 2021 | Released | Open call was made to all professional artists, architects, landscape architects and design teams who have experience managing, designing, and completing public art commissions. |
| Wed. Oct. 6, 2021 | Community Conversation | Community members had an opportunity to learn about the committee’s work, and the process for creating a commemorative project on Davidson’s campus. |
| Jan. 7, 2022 | RFQ Submissions Due | Applicants submitted requested qualifications via SlideRoom by 11:59 p.m. |
| Jan.–March 2022 | RFQ Applications Reviewed | The jury identified the most highly qualified artist(s)/architects/teams for this opportunity from past work samples. |
| March 2022 | Selection of Finalists | The jury determined a shortlist of five finalists; the Special Committee on Commemoration presented their recommendations at the April 2022 Board of Trustees meeting. |
| May–Aug. 2022 | Site Visit/Research/ Pre-proposal Development |
Each of the finalists will be awarded a $10,000 honorarium to develop a pre-proposal based on the final site. The fee includes all project-related costs. Finalists will be expected to engage with stakeholders. |
| Sept. 2022 | Engagement Opportunities | Join us for Zoom Q&A with finalists. These are opportunities for the finalists to learn more about ¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾«Æ·ÍƼö, our history, and our present from students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community. Dates will be announced. |
| Nov. 2022 | Finalist Presentations | The finalists will have an opportunity to present their pre-proposal design and qualifications to the jury during a campus interview. |
| April 2023 | Final Selection | The jury will select one finalist to recommend to the Board of Trustees at their April 2023 meeting. |
As part of the contract between ¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾«Æ·ÍƼö and the selected finalist, a specific schedule/timeline beyond August 2022 will be agreed upon, from community engagement through final design approval, fabrication, installation, and dedication.