Center for Mason Legacies
CHSS | University Libraries

“Dr. Oberle’s work with the Center is remarkably pointed and relevant to these times as he and the team work towards uncovering our hidden histories, expanding our historical record and knowledge of both the past and the present, documenting current racial tensions, and seeking a more just future,” his nominators wrote. “He works directly in the spaces combatting erasure and suppression and inspires students and faculty alike as he does so. In these efforts, he embodies not only the time-tested tradition and unique role of libraries in society as knowledge-preservers, but also the knowledge-creation and discovery-learning traditions of research universities.”

At CML, we believe that history writing need not be limited to traditional print monographs but might instead be practiced on more inclusive and accessible digital platforms. In this way, history that is hidden in dusty old account books or made contemporaneously at protests digitally becomes part of how not only academics but also students, individuals, and community members engage with history.

Explore CML's newly created digital project, Black Lives Next Door: George Mason and Northern Virginia in an Age of Disparity and Opportunity. Building on work that began in 2020, BLND is presenting its first set of findings, thanks to the support of a 2021 Summer Team Impact Grant.