HOW TECH TICKS
HISTORY LESSONS
Emily Satterwhite associate professor
A project of the Council on Virginia Tech History, the markers offer a glimpse into our shared past—and offer an opportunity to embrace our shared values, today and into the future. The markers not only highlight campus development and land-grant history, but also feature the diverse set of individuals and communities who made major contributions to the university. “Many, many dozens of voices are represented here in trying to retell stories with more perspectives than have been told on some of the more long-standing markers,” said Emily Satterwhite, associ-
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ate professor and director of the Appalachian studies program who served on the Commemorative Signage Committee. Campus Landscape Architect Jack Rosenberger led the project since its kickoff in spring 2018. History Professor Peter Wallenstein wrote the preliminary text. A diverse group of stakeholders from across the university then revised and expanded Wallenstein’s text. Leaning into their knowledge, expertise, and passion, the stakeholders added richness to the university’s history. “The stakeholders weighed in on not only which stories to tell, but also which wording and which images enhance our understanding of our history without reinscribing harmful stereotypes,” Satterwhite said. TW
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MANY, MANY DOZENS OF VOICES ARE REPRESENTED HERE IN TRYING TO RETELL STORIES WITH MORE PERSPECTIVES THAN HAVE BEEN TOLD ON SOME OF THE MORE LONG-STANDING MARKERS.”
MORE THAN 75 PEOPLE FROM ACROSS the Virginia Tech landscape helped to create seven new historical markers that were installed this spring across the Blacksburg campus.
