Joseph McGill, Jr., Founder of The Slave Dwelling Project, returns to the Jay Heritage Center this fall with a new book that he co-authored with Charleston-based journalist Herb Frazier. McGill has put the details about his initiative to sleep in former slave dwellings, travelling throughout the South and the North, into written form. His personal accounts bring greater awareness, honesty and humanity to many humble and overlooked historic structures. He will read from
McGill, last spoke at the Jay Heritage Center in 2019 as part of efforts to launch a local committee to study and illuminate the tragic and complicated history of slavery in Westchester County. McGill’s presentation provided real data about the loss of representative buildings and their historic settings. He recounted the threats to meaningful places dismissed by many as mere footnotes in history. McGill has slept overnight at more than 100 cramped, sometimes lightless dwellings, places that are tangible reminders that their inhabitants were deprived of freedom as well as the emotional, mental and sensory liberties that went with it. McGill tirelessly advocates to protect these structures from the wrecking ball and overzealous development.
The program is FREE. Refreshments to follow Q & A.
