Slavery and the Architecture of the United States

Michele Obama’s declaration at the 2016 Democratic National Convention that, “I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves,” was a watershed moment in American history. From a national platform, her statement forced widespread consideration about the origins of the US built environment. For many African Americans however, this was not new information. Speaking of the central role of African Americans in the building of the country, AME Bishop Richard Allen declared in 1829 that, “we have enriched [America] with our blood and tears.” Drawing on Allen’s declaration, this session seeks to address the following simple question: In what ways did enslaved people help build the United States? Further, how have enslaved people been omitted from consideration of the US built environment, and how can architectural histories provide due credit? What does the archival record bear out regarding this history? This session invites papers that consider the role of enslaved people in the architecture of the United States (broadly conceived). In an effort to expand inclusive scholarship, this session seeks papers that have researched and identified the role of enslaved people in building projects. Studies that shed light on the origins of particular buildings, geographies, or city infrastructures are welcomed.