Material Culture, Gender, and Abolition in Regency Britain

Webinar Details

Material objects played a powerful role in shaping public conversations about race, gender, and abolition during Regency Britain. From Josiah Wedgwood’s anti-slavery medallion to portraits, novels, domestic objects, and political organizing materials, visual culture influenced how Black humanity, agency, and emancipation were represented and understood.

This webinar explores how material culture shaped debates surrounding abolition while examining the ways contemporary Black artists have reinterpreted these historical images to reclaim and reframe Black agency. Participants will investigate the relationship between objects, visual culture, and social movements while considering how material evidence can deepen students’ understanding of history. Educators will gain approaches for incorporating artifacts, visual analysis, and interdisciplinary inquiry into lessons on abolition, race, gender, and historical memory.

Instructor: Patricia A. Matthew (NHC Fellow, 2022–23), Montclair State University