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    'Watch this Hay Festival 2023 panel discussion about history and the British country house from the National Trust. Join four history experts - historians Suzannah Lipscomb (What Is History, Now?) and Alice Loxton (UPROAR! Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London), presenter and film-maker David Olusoga (Black and British: A Forgotten History) and writer Sathnam Sanghera (Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain) as they speak to René Olivieri, chair of the National Trust, about how we engage with the many layered stories of country houses, and why as Britain changes we need to broaden our perspectives.
    Together they discuss how we can better understand our history through our country houses and estates, how we make these places of tradition and inheritance relevant and ensure we’re getting a true view of their role in the formation of our society, and how we do so without descending into disagreement.
    This discussion was recorded in front of a live audience on 30 May 2023 at Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye.

    We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever. You can donate to us at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donate

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    This video is kind of blowing my mind, so before I even finish it, I would like to share it with members of the TPS Teachers Network and of this group. It may seem as if it has nothing to do with us because of the title, but it's actually a wonderful discussion of the decolonization of our museums (including historic houses) and also of our education systems. One speaker, for example, points out that soon 1/3 of the UK population will be from what have been considered minority groups. He asks how museums and curriculum can remain relevant if we don't speak to 1/3 of the population. 

    Another speaker said that while parents are gawking at the architecture, their children are looking up on their phones exactly where the money came from! He said they are comfortable with uncomfortable history and eager to learn about it. 

    Another speaker said young people are begging to learn history - real history - and to be involved in history. That came as a surprise to me. 

    So whether you are a teacher, a museum person, or someone interested in reexamining history and filling out the stories with primary sources that represent everyone, I hope you'll take the time to watch this video. I'm glad I did.

      Pre K - 2    3 - 5    9 - 12    13+    Social Studies/History    Museum Education  

    Thank you SO much for sharing this. I can't wait to watch.

      Mary Johnson  THANK YOU for posting this! It is such a vital conversation. 

    Museums in the US started out by discussing relevancy -- visitors were saying that old, dusty museums (or historic houses) were not relevant to their lives. Agreed, how many people can relate to old, dead white guy stories?! So, places like Colonial Williamsburg began depicting slave auctions -- it nearly shut them down because people were simply NOT ready to have those difficult conversations. 

    Now, it is conversations about decolonizing, which is really far more accurate and the role of museums in social equity and social justice. Many people are still not ready to have those conversations, but reinterpretation is happening across the nation.  Historic New England reinterpreted the Sleeper-McCann House to accurately reflect it's LGBTQ history.  The Old Stone House in Brooklyn is working with the Lenni-Lenape and makes a social justice statement on their webpage. The Sandy Spring (MD) Museum has a on-going program of community curated exhibits and programs to reach ALL of their audiences. 

    Sadly, I think curriculum will take longer to arrive given that it is going backwards in some states. 

    Edited

    This is such a relevant topic, and I am following that channel post haste, but can I also just mention how wonderful the Hay Festival happens to be? I am thrilled to find this resource. It's the most dense bookshop per capita anywhere in the world...I have a friend very nearby, in Conwy, and am determined to visit her DURING the festival at some point.

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