Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
History
Date of Award
5-2024
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Jennifer A. Adler
Committee Members
Tom Lee, Constanze Weise
Abstract
The preservation needs and historical significance located within West Lawn Cemetery in Johnson City, Tennessee, a historically African American Cemetery, show the potential cemeteries have as an impactful public history site. Similar to sites like historic houses, museums, and battlefields; cemeteries offer another insight into the past through interpretation and preservation. A cemetery's ethical and practical uses as a public history site can pose complex challenges. This thesis aims to provide a compelling argument for cemeteries as repositories of irreplaceable history, providing a space for their spot in the field of public history. Although little scholarly literature is given on this concept, this research provides information on the unique landscape and window into history cemeteries hold. Furthermore, this thesis aims to provide a practical guide to navigating the complexities of historical discourse and interpretation within cemeteries.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Underkoffler, Julia, "From Silence to Interpretation: West Lawn Cemetery in Johnson, Tennessee and the Case for Cemeteries as Public History Sites" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4377. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4377
Copyright
Copyright by the author.