Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors honored Professors Wendi Manuel-Scott and George Oberle with their 2024 Juneteenth Proclamation, presented June 11. The recognition celebrates their leadership of the Center for Mason Legacies at George Mason University and the center’s impact in the fields of history, education, and social justice.
The award recognizes CML's close partnership with the county’s OneFairfax effort, a collaboration at Mason by Associate CML Director Dr. Manuel-Scott, Professor of Integrative Studies, and CML Director Dr. Oberle, the university’s History Librarian and an Associate Professor of History and Art History. Their transformative research and teaching through CML—where they lead dedicated teams of doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students on deep dives into Northern Virginia history and policy-making—demonstrate how ethical historical research practices can drive meaningful change.
Over two years, in a partnership with the OneFairfax team, Center scholars have delved into the historical roots of housing disparities in Fairfax, finding previously hidden connections and narratives to be shared in a forthcoming county report, Their methods and product showcase the practical application of the center's mission to uncover and address the legacies of inequality through rigorous research – including in the county’s own documents and official records – innovative teaching, and community engagement. This work builds on CML’s innovative pedagogical approach of “affective historical praxis” and its project of broadening the archive to include more diverse local voices.
The award affirms CML's commitment to transforming how faculty and students engage with and learn from the past and exemplifies Mason's promise of an "all together different" academic experience that defies traditional boundaries.