How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America

What key ideas does Smith present in the Prologue and how does he develop them through his analysis throughout the book?

Identify commonalities and differences in Monticello and the Whitney Plantation’s approaches to conveying the history of slavery in the United States. What do the commonalities and differences tell you about the construction of historical narrative?

Angola Prison and Blandford Cemetery have different approaches to avoiding the topic of slavery. How are these approaches different, and what do they have in common? What insights does Smith gain about the reckoning with slavery from sites that actively avoid its discussion?