Sweet Briar Heritage Cabin

“At the beginning of the Civil War there were 4 million slaves. They lived somewhere”​
​​​​​​​-Joseph McGill

​The potential for the Slave cabin on Sweet Briar’s campus is evident in the period and manner it which it came about. In the very walls, there is history spanning many different uses and decades. I believe the back-story of the building could aid Sweet Briar by transcending contemporary racism and allowing marginalized history to become visible and integrated in the Sweet Briar community.
​As a perspective student, I visited and saw the slave cabin on my own time, not with a tour. I saw it while it was packed with antiques from the old farm museum. I remember thinking how strange it was seeing the slave cabin with really no historical markings or professional organization. I thought that there either needed to be more of an effort to represent the slave cabin as a historical site or none at all; maybe even bulldozing it.
​I think as an institution, Sweet Briar should represent people and industry that created that founded Sweet Briar. The school focuses on the history of Indiana and Daisy, however I have a feeling there were more people who helped the school begin. The workings of the plantation itself I think aren’t explained well enough, and I feel that there should be more representation.
​To break through the stigma of displaying historical racism, I believe Sweet Briar should utilize the slave cabin as a museum for the disenfranchised population of Sweet Briar’s history. Controversial history is still history, and especially since the school is trying to steer clear of racist undertones, I think that out of respect, I think the enslaved should be accounted for. The museum could hold pictures and paintings, owner charts, daily tasks, and other miscellaneous information from the pre-bellum plantation. Some farm tools should also be displayed to show what sort of agricultural technology was available. Also, pieces from period homes that could be seen in a slave cabin should be displayed.
​This spot could later be used as a venue for local happenings supporting the history of this region. The cabin could be arranged so that musicians, speakers like Mr. McGill, and historical tours could take place there. With the versatility of the venue, more people affiliated with Sweet Briar and the local community could utilize the space.
​Finally, instead of calling it “the slave cabin”, I think the building should be called the Sweet Briar Heritage Cabin. Yes, it once was a slave cabin, but it was used for many other uses afterward; a part of its history that also shouldn’t be forgotten. The cabin could attract many more guests to Sweet Briar if displayed eloquently and respectfully. The cabin could, with some work, be a reminder of the history of Sweet Briar while simultaneously supporting other historical happenings from around the region.