Beyond Granite: Pulling Together Convening – Legacies and Futures of the National Mall

25 Aug Beyond Granite: Pulling Together Convening – Legacies and Futures of the National Mall

Beyond Granite: Pulling Together presents a dynamic new series of installations designed to create a more inclusive, equitable, and representative commemorative landscape on the National Mall. The Beyond Granite initiative is led by the Trust for the National Mall in partnership with the National Capital Planning Commission and the National Park Service, and is funded by the Mellon Foundation.

The Convening on August 25th is a dynamic day of discussions where artists, curators, and project leaders from Beyond Granite: Pulling Together converge with creators, scholars, activists, and practitioners from the monument landscape. Explore the rich history and transformative power of memory-making on the National Mall as we delve into meaningful conversations and collaborative sessions.

The Convening features speakers from the National Capital Planning Commission, National Park Service, and the Trust for the National Mall; exhibition artists and curators; and local and regional scholars in art, go-go music, history of the National Mall, Indigenous studies and more.

Panel 1: The National Mall: Local, National, Transnational  (Begins at minute 46.30 in video)

(9:30-10:45 am)

An enriching discussion on the themes of Beyond Granite: Pulling Together that unearths the untold stories of the National Mall. Join leading scholars and authors in the field as they explore questions that shed light on connections between narratives within this hollowed site and our understanding of the landmark at both local and federal levels. Panelists will delve into the historical backdrop preceding the creation of the National Mall and point toward stories that extend beyond its hallowed grounds. Moderated by Amber Wiley from the University of Pennsylvania, this esteemed panel features renowned scholars and authors sharing insights from their works, including Lauret Savoy (Author of Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape), Natalie Hopkinson (Author of Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City), and Kirk Savage (Author of Monument Wars).