Sharing Hidden Histories: The XRchaeology at Miller Grove, a Free African American Community in Southern Illinois

Abstract

ABSTRACT XRchaeology at Miller Grove is a web-based collection of new media components, including digital storytelling, geographic information systems, virtual tours, three-dimensional objects, and web-based virtual reality presentations. XRchaeology contributes to revisions of traditional narratives about free African Americans and the network of escape routes referred to as the Underground Railroad (UGRR). This project focuses attention on potential African American “conductors” in the UGRR and resituates African Americans as the agents of their own freedom. XRchaeology emphasizes that freedom was achieved across a continuum shaped by social, economic, and legal biases and anti-immigration sentiments. The XRchaeology application is designed for both traditional learners and non-specialist members of the public, as the project facilitates self-directed learning and evidence-based inquiry for all interest levels.