Harvey Amani Whitfield is the Centennial Carnegie Chair in the History of Slavery in Canada and Professor of History at the University...
Harvey Amani Whitfield is the Centennial Carnegie Chair in the History of Slavery in Canada and Professor of History at the University of King’s College. His research area is transnational African American history in the wider context of the African Diaspora and Black Atlantic. This research focus has resulted in the publication of six books including two university press monographs, Blacks on the Border: The Black Refugees in British North America, 1815-1860 (2006) and North to Bondage: Loyalist Slavery in the Maritimes (2016). His most recent publication Biographical Dictionary of Enslaved Black People in the Maritimes (2022), includes approximately 1450 individuals.
Richard Bell is a Professor of History at the University of Maryland. His research focus on American history between 1750 and 1877. Bell’s...
Richard Bell is a Professor of History at the University of Maryland. His research focus on American history between 1750 and 1877. Bell’s most recent book is The American Revolution and the Fate of the World reveals the full breadth and depth of America’s founding event. The American Revolution was not only the colonies’ triumphant liberation from the rule of an overbearing England; it was also a cataclysm that pulled in participants from around the globe and threw the entire world order into chaos. Repositioning the Revolution at the center of an international web, this narrative ranges as far afield as India, Africa, Central America, and Australia. As Bell’s lens widens, the “War of Independence” manifests itself as a sprawling struggle that upended the lives of millions of people on every continent and fundamentally transformed the way the world works, disrupting trade, restructuring penal systems, stirring famine, and creating the first global refugee crisis. Bell conveys the impact of these developments at home and abroad by grounding the narrative in the gripping stories of individuals—including women, minorities, and other disenfranchised people.
Like all conflicts, the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) brought disruption, violence, and uncertainty. However, because it unfolded at a moment when Transatlantic Slavery was yet to be abolished in the regions that were to become Canada and the USA, for the enslaved, the war also brought large-scale upheaval of forced inland and maritime migration which opened opportunities for escape and emancipation. On the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this conference presents papers that rethink the cultures, events, and experiences of the war across the liminal borders (regional and proto-national) of British North America.
While scholars of early America have centered studies on the political motivations and military maneuvers that influenced the rebels, the grassroots impact of sedition, and the interpretation of constitutional debates, most scholarship on the Canadian side of the border has been regionally and thematically biased towards a celebratory focus on White Loyalists in the Maritimes.
Meanwhile, little scholarship – Canadian or American – has been devoted to recuperating and understanding the experiences of the enslaved across regions, origins, identities, climates, geographies, and circumstances. Nor has attention been paid to the turmoil that ensued when White Loyalist enslavers, those they enslaved, and newly freed Black Loyalists were all evacuated into northern (Canadian) territories which had already been shaped by Transatlantic Slavery.
Join us for two keynote lectures and nine panels that engage new approaches and perspectives, interrogate un(der)studied archives, and tackle original topics and themes on the art, cultural, material, and traditional histories of the Revolutionary War on both sides of the 49th parallel. We’re especially proud to present contributions that recuperate and center the aspirations, resistance, perspectives, and experiences of enslaved people and communities.
4 PM, Keynote – Dr. Harvey Amani Whitfield
5 PM, Cocktail Reception
Breakfast Ongoing from 8:30am to 10:00am
8:30 AM – 1 PM, Presentations
1PM – Lunch
2PM – 5PM – Free time to visit our suggested attractions in the region
Breakfast Ongoing from 8:30am to 10:00am
8:30–9:45 AM, Keynote – Dr. Richard Bell
10:00 AM –12:00 PM, Presentations
12:00 PM, Lunch
1:00 PM – 5:15 PM, Presentations
Breakfast Ongoing from 8:30am to 10:00am
8:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Presentations
We highly recommend staying at Hotel UMass because it is conveniently located on campus and just a short walk away from Old Chapel, where the conference is taking place.
1 Campus Centre Way, Amherst, MA 01003
hotelumass.com
(413) 549-6000
[email protected]
If you have any questions about Hotel UMass regarding check-in/out times, parking rates for guests, etc., please check the hotel website directly.
While we recommend staying on campus, when possible, below are a few options for area hotel accommodations. Please make your reservations early!
30 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst 01002
413-256-8200
innonboltwood.com
Distance: about 2 miles from campus
1184 North Pleasant Street, Amherst 01002
413-549-5649
blackwalnutinn.com
Distance: about 2 miles from campus
423 Russell Road, Hadley 01035
413-256-5454
marriott.com/hadley-amherst
Distance: about 2 miles from campus
237 Russell Street, Hadley 01035
413-584-9816
choicehotels.com/comfort-inn
Distance: about 4.5 miles from campus
24 Bay Road, Hadley 01035
413-586-4851
hilton.com/hadley
Distance: about 6.5 miles from campus
The conference will be held at the UMass Amherst campus. For GPS purposes, Hotel UMass and the adjacent Campus Center Parking Garage, are located at 91 Campus Center Way, Amherst MA 01003. Click here to take a look at our campus maps gallery.
All keynotes and presentations will be held at Old Chapel. For GPS purposes, Old Chapel is located at 144 Hicks Way, Amherst MA 01002.
From I-91 North, take Exit 25 in Northampton. From the exit ramp, stay in the right lane to take the first rotary exit, turning onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North. Turn left onto 116 and go one mile to the UMass exit. Stay to the right as you exit to merge onto Massachusetts Avenue. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the second intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue (the first set of lights is only a blinking yellow light; take a left at the next set of lights). Continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights.
To park in the garage: stay in the right lane to take a right at these lights onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill. The garage entrance will be on your right.
From I-91 South, take exit 36 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp, turn left and follow the road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Travel one mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow 8 miles to the UMass exit. Take a left after you exit onto Massachusetts Avenue. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the second intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue (the first set of lights is only a blinking yellow light; take a left at the next set of lights). Stay in the right lane and continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights.
To park in the garage: stay in the right lane to take a right at these lights onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill. The garage entrance will be on your right.
Travel via Route 2 West to Exit 71 (Belchertown/Amherst). From Route 2 take Route 202 South for about 15 miles to a blinking yellow light at Amherst Road. You will see signs “to Rt 9 and Rt 116”. Turn right and follow Amherst Road (which will become Pelham Road after about 4 miles) for 7 miles to Amherst center. This road will become Main Street. Follow Main Street and signs to UMass to travel through Amherst Center, taking a right on North Pleasant Street. At the roundabout take the third exit.
To park in the garage: after exiting the roundabout follow North Pleasant Street to the lights, staying in the left lane to take a left onto Massachusetts Ave. Follow Massachusetts Avenue and take a right at the intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue. At the next set of lights turn right onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill. The garage entrance will be on your right.
From Route 2 East, take the Greenfield/I-91 exit. Travel south on I-91. Take exit 36 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp, turn left and follow the road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Travel one mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Drive 8 miles to the UMass exit. Take a left after you exit onto Massachusetts Avenue. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the second intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue (the first set of lights is only a blinking yellow light; take a left at the next set of lights). Stay in the right lane and continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights.
To park in the garage: stay in the right lane to take a right at these lights onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill. The garage entrance will be on your right.
If you are a first-time visitor and traveling from the east or west on I-90 (Mass Pike), we recommend avoiding the route that takes you off the Mass Pike at Exit 63 in Pelham, and instead following the directions to Exit 45 listed below.
From I-90 (Mass Pike) take Exit 45 (West Springfield). Follow I-91 North to Exit 25. From the exit ramp, stay in the right lane to take the first rotary exit, turning onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North. Turn left onto 116 and go one mile to the UMass exit. Stay to the right as you exit to merge onto Massachusetts Avenue. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the second intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue (the first set of lights is only a blinking yellow light; take a left at the next set of lights). Continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights.
To park in the garage: stay in the right lane to take a right at these lights onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill. The garage entrance will be on your right.
The closest airport to campus is Bradley International Airport, located in Windsor Locks Connecticut (just outside of Hartford). This airport is approximately 45 minutes from the UMass campus. Logan International Airport located in Boston, MA, may have more flight options depending on where you are traveling from, but this airport is approximately 90 miles from the UMass campus and so requires additional travel time.
Both airports feature car rental agencies and a variety of shuttle services, such as Valley Transporter, Seemo Shuttle, Exclusive Car Service Inc., and Bluebird Transportation.
The Amherst Area is serviced by Peter Pan Bus Lines, Greyhound, and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA). Peter Pan Buses travel directly to Amherst, with stops directly on campus and in Amherst Center. When possible, select your destination as “Amherst UMass MA” instead of “Amherst Center MA”: the Amherst Center stop is about a 1.5 mile walk to campus (also accessible via PVTA bus), but the “Amherst UMass MA” stop will drop you at Haigis Mall, located right on-campus. Greyhound travels to Union Station in Springfield, MA, which is about 26 miles from campus. If you travel via Greyhound bus, you should also plan to take a taxi, Uber/Lyft, or PVTA bus from Springfield to campus. PVTA offers local bus services around the Amherst area so it can be a great option when traveling around the area, including to local restaurants, amenities, and off-campus lodging options.
Union Station, Northampton is the closest train station. It is about 20 minutes from UMass by Uber/Lyft, or you could take the bus (PVTA – B43). Service available via Amtrak.
Campus Center Parking Garage
For GPS purposes, the garage is located at 91 Campus Center Way, Amherst MA 01003. Click here to obtain directions from your location. Upon arriving on campus, follow the signs to the Campus Center Parking Garage.
If you are staying at Hotel UMass, park on the 2nd level, enter the building, and take the elevator to the 3rd floor hotel lobby to check-in.
If you are commuting each day, park on the 4th floor of the Campus Center Parking Garage and utilize the southwest exit for easy access to campus.
Campus Maps
If you have not been on campus before, we recommend having a campus map readily accessible until you are acclimated. Click here to download a campus map, click here to view a campus accessibility map, and click here to view campus via Google maps.
Is supported in this work by wonderful Research Assistants, an esteemed Advisory Board, affiliated centres, and dedicated staff at the University of Massachusetts.
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