Refracting Conflict in Kenyon's Past

 

To get more inspiration for our case, my group was enthusiastic to look at the current cases on display in the library. We were impressed by the ability of the cases to present a linear narrative through the organization and order of the items presented in the case. Like a book or movie, the case guided us through an emotional journey, marked with high periods of triumph and success followed by lower points of challenges for Kenyon, and like any good story, there was never too much low or high at once, keeping us engaged and entertained as our eyes followed through the story curated in the case. We hope to create a similar design when making our case. We were especially surprised to see that the current Kenyon in The World case included a dark account of hazing that took place, as shown in the image above. Although it is not the easiest to read, we agreed that it was a good choice to acknowledge this part of Kenyon’s past, now able to look at it knowing that we have since grown so much as a community. Because we are including the Kent State shootings in our case, this inclusion assured us that we can reflect on harder-to-discuss parts of our past, if we can do it tastefully and carefully. 

Writer and Sociologist Robyn Autry talks of a similar experience for museum curators in her essay, “The Political Economy of Memory: The Challenges of Representing National Conflict at ‘Identity-driven’ Museums.” Autry notes that museum curators desire to depict and teach about the past, yet struggle with how to present the heavy material in a way that is accurate, yet tangible for both black and white visitors. She states that often the strategy for going about this involves, “the selective use of language to deemphasize victimhood in favor of more empowering images of group identity,” which usually plays out in “a predisposition toward inspirational messages.” (Aurty 66,67) Autry further explains that “such material may be less likely to provoke discomfort around visitors.” (Autry 67) Curators hope this strategy of depiction will lead to a collective identity of pride and hope among black people who visit the museum. These curators have to be very intentional, as they are well aware of their greater role in shaping the metanarrative of black history in America. 

Weighing Autry’s insight and using the inspiration of the current case in the library, it is now the challenge of my group to address a past challenge of Kenyon’s, The Kent State shooting, in a way that is not too overwhelming for viewers, while also still being inspiring and uplifting for current members of the Kenyon community. Autry talks about how in addition to being very careful about the language selected, museum curators “place the civil rights movement within a broader discourse about American democracy and multiculturalism, rather than focusing exclusively on black emancipation.” (Autry 68) Perhaps when curating our own case, our group can emphasize the ideas of community which were ever so present at Kenyon, even in the dark times of the Kent State shooting. After reading Autry’s article, we are even now more aware of the deep responsibility we have to present Kenyon in a hopeful light, as we are responsible for how current and future generations view the Kent State shooting within the context of Kenyon’s greater metanarrative. It is a big responsibility, but we now have all the more insight to ensure it is done well. 

Works Cited:

Autry, Robyn. “The Political Economy of Memory: The Challenges of Representing National Conflict at ‘Identity-driven’ Museums.” Theory and Society, vol. 42, no. 1, 2013, pp. 57–80.