Breaking the Silence

It has been two years since my last blog post. During that time, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington, and began the Cultural and Heritage Resource Management Master’s of Professional Studies degree at the University of Maryland. Today, I am roughly 4 months out from graduation.

I have been silent for one reason: I haven’t had much time outside of my full-time work. I haven’t taken any study abroad trips, engaged in any special training activities, or explored any new places. On the other hand, I have visited a LOT of cemeteries. Time constraints between work, school, and life have led to less time than ever expected. Study time pre-empted video-editing time. Before I knew it, two years had gone by. And now, here we are.

So, what have I been up to? Well, this where things get interesting!

The Berry Street Burial Ground Project

This year, one requirement for my master’s degree was to complete an internship to gain real life experience with an archaeology-related project. Since I do not currently work in archaeology, I needed to locate an internship opportunity independently. That was challenging, especially considering the changing political perceptions regarding research themes that mattered to me. After considering several out-of-state options that were not viable to me, I decided to reach out to my hometown.

To my surprise, not only were they willing to work with me, they had a plethora of projects to choose from. I chose a community-focused project focused on an African American potters field in the Arlington Heights neighborhood. While this burial ground goes by many names, I call it the Berry Street Burial Ground.

This project is the impetus for my return to this blog. If you would like to learn more about the work, my research, or project findings, you can find additional information here: https://www.aplaceforkp.com/berrystreet