Diversity & Inclusion Events
[PAST EVENT] Slate Seminar: Call for Proposals 2025
Location
Location not specified
The Bray School Lab is pleased to announce this special Call for Proposals for the 2025 Slate Seminar, our annual conference, taking place on Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the William & Mary School of Education.
We invite proposals for panels or individual presentations on any aspect of the history of the Williamsburg Bray School and its students, its connections to the present, or one of the special themes emphasized below:
This year, 2025, marks several important 250th anniversaries in Virginia and American history. On November 7, 1775, John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, proclaimed martial law and promised freedom for enslaved peoples who agreed to fight for the British Crown.
This decree, known as Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, changed the trajectory of the American Revolution and the path to freedom for thousands of people of African descent—including nearly 900 Virginians. Also in 1775, the Continental Army (June), Navy (October), and Marines (November) were established by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress. Finally, this year is also the ‘Year of the Environment’ at William & Mary, celebrating the university’s commitment to safeguarding the environment and the communities that depend on its health and resilience.
Taking these observations as inspiration, all W&M students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to submit proposals. Proposals may be for individual presentations or for organized panels of 3 to 4 presenters.
The proposals might consider, but are not limited to:
New connections to the Williamsburg Bray School and its students
The impact of Dunmore's Proclamation on African Americans’ fight for freedom—in Virginia and beyond
The history and legacies of African American military service (all branches and time periods)
African Americans and the environment—from oystering and farming to recreation and environmental justice.
We are particularly interested in projects that explore how the legacies of the past continue to influence contemporary society and identity.
See the link for more and to submit your proposal: https://go.wm.edu/GVQDG5
Sponsored by: Bray School Lab
Contact
https://go.wm.edu/GVQDG5