Archives hold a treasure trove of artifacts

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Mollie Godfrey (Department of English) and Seán McCarthy (Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication) are the visionaries behind two inspiring initiatives: the Mapping Project and the Celebrating Simms Project. The latter serves as a digital, post-custodial archive honoring Lucy F. Simms, an educator born into enslavement in 1856 who impacted three generations of young students in our local community. Both Godfrey and McCarthy have cultivated deep, lasting connections within Harrisonburg’s Black community. Their work strikes a balance between celebration and reparation. Collaborating with them has been as rewarding as it is challenging.

Gianluca De Fazio (Justice Studies) spearheads the Racial Terror: Lynching in Virginia project, illuminating a grim chapter of Virginia’s past. His relentless dedication led to the installation of a phone number library historical marker commemorating the tragic lynching of Charlotte Harris. De Fazio, along with colleagues, has also developed nine lesson plans based on this research, which are now integrated into high school curricula. My collaboration with him was a catalyst for pursuing a master’s degree in American History.


Racial Terror: Lynching in Virginia
Both the Celebrating Simms and Racial Terror projects are highlighted in the Mapping the Black Digital and Public Humanities initiative. The privilege of contributing to such impactful projects alongside such dedicated individuals has rendered my extensive tenure at JMU both meaningful and, I hope, enduring.