Commemoration Committee

The Special Committee on Commemoration will recommend a visible and appropriate commemoration to honor the contributions of enslaved people and others whose labor was exploited.

This Committee, which shall be composed of Trustees and non-Trustees appointed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, is entrusted with the following responsibility:

Engage broadly with the Davidson College community to recommend a visible and appropriate commemoration, including the possibility of commissioning a work of art, on campus to honor the contributions of enslaved people and others whose labor was exploited.

Virgil Fludd '80, Member of the Board of Trustees, President-elect of the Alumni Association Board, Chair of the Special Committee on Commemoration

Committee News

Commemoration Project Moves Forward With Support and Invitation to Meet Finalists

Davidson College trustee Cintra Pollack ’99 has pledged her support for a project to commemorate the lives and contributions of enslaved persons whose labor contributed to the growth and development of the college. Five artist teams will present their visions for the public work. Read more.

campus beauty: blossoming tree outside building

Honoring and Remembering Begins With Stories Rather Than Stone

The Trustees’ Special Committee on Commemoration started with a clear focus: It’s about the people. The committee began with the fundamentals of understanding those whom the college seeks to commemorate – the enslaved persons and others whose labor was exploited for the college.

Committee Members

Virgil Fludd '80, Chair
Betsy Fleming
Dave Hall '84
John Laughlin '85
Cintra Pollack '99
Pat Rodgers
Janet Stovall '85

Consulting Members

Cort Savage, faculty
Hilary Green, advisor
Lia Newman, liaison
Jeff Prince, liaison

Return to Top

Jury

Virgil Fludd '80
Betsy Fleming
Dave Hall '84
John Laughlin '85
Alison Hall Mauzé '84
Cintra Pollack '99
Pat Rodgers
Janet Stovall '85
Cort Savage
Hilary Green
Lia Newman
Jeff Prince
Bernetta Graham
Clint Smith ’10
Tyler Yvette Wilson ’14
Nathanael Bagonza ‘24

Return to Top

Committee Reports

The Committees shall make periodic reports to the Campus Strategy, Planning, and Use Committee. The Committee shall work with the Campus Strategy, Planning, and Use Committee to bring recommendations to the Board.

Contact

We look forward to engaging the community in aspects of this work and will circulate details as those opportunities become available. If you would like to stay up to date on the work of the committee by adding your name to our mailing list, or if you have other questions, please use this form or email specialcommittees@davidson.edu.

Timeline

All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Date	Task	Description
July 2021	Campus Site Visit	Committee members visited with David Holthouser, Director of Facilities & Engineering
Sept. 2021	Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Released	Open call was made to all professional artists, architects, landscape architects and design teams who have experience managing, designing, and completing public art commissions.
Wed. Oct. 6, 2021	Community Conversation	Community members had an opportunity to learn about the committee’s work, and the process for creating a commemorative project on Davidson’s campus.
Jan. 7, 2022	RFQ Submissions Due	Applicants submitted requested qualifications via SlideRoom by 11:59 p.m.
Jan.–March 2022	RFQ Applications Reviewed	The jury identified the most highly qualified artist(s)/architects/teams for this opportunity from past work samples.
March 2022	Selection of Finalists	The jury determined a shortlist of five finalists; the Special Committee on Commemoration presented their recommendations at the April 2022 Board of Trustees meeting.
May–Aug. 2022	Site Visit/Research/ Pre-proposal Development	Each of the finalists will be awarded a $10,000 honorarium to develop a pre-proposal based on the final site. The fee includes all project-related costs. Finalists will be expected to engage with stakeholders.
Sept. 2022	Engagement Opportunities	Join us for Zoom Q&A with finalists. These are opportunities for the finalists to learn more about Davidson College, our history, and our present from students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community. Dates will be announced.
Nov. 2022	Finalist Presentations	The finalists will have an opportunity to present their pre-proposal design and qualifications to the jury during a campus interview.
April 2023	Final Selection	The jury will select one finalist to recommend to the Board of Trustees at their April 2023 meeting.

As part of the contract between Davidson College and the selected finalist, a specific schedule/timeline beyond August 2022 will be agreed upon, from community engagement through final design approval, fabrication, installation, and dedication.