Interview with Stephen Davenport
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Interviewees
Davenport, Stephen
Interviewer
Edwards, Ana
Producer
Carrington, Michael
Description
In this interview with VCU professor Ana Edwards, Mr. Davenport explains his professional background and reflects on his initial reaction to Dr. Shawn Utsey’s film Until The Well Runs Dry and his early exposure to the East Marshall Street Well Project as a student. He then discusses his experiences with the Family Representative Council (FRC) and recounts the process of returning the Well remains to Richmond from the Smithsonian. Mr. Davenport goes on to discuss the impact of Project Gabriel on the East Marshall Street Well Project and addresses the discovery of human remains with ties to Richmond held by Harvard University. He concludes with his reflections on the project’s success in the past and future.
Biographical Note
Ana Edwards is a public historian and community activist. Currently, she is a teaching professor in VCU's Department of African American Studies. Most of her work centers on preserving the history and public spaces associated with Gabriel and the African Burial Ground in Shockoe Bottom.
Stephen Davenport serves as the Assistant Vice President for Social and Economic Development at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). His work prioritizes employing and conducting business with local communities and strengthening relationships between VCU and various stakeholders. Since 2024, he has led the East Marshall Street Well Project. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in African American Studies and Philosophy, as well as a master’s degree in Business Administration, all from VCU. He first became involved in the East Marshall Street Well Project as an undergraduate student at VCU.
Note
This interview description and biographical information was written by Michael Dickinson.
Corporate Name Subject
Hampden-Sydney College. Medical Department--Corrupt practices; Virginia Commonwealth University--Corrupt practices
Topical Subject
Reparations for historical injustices; Human remains (Archaeology)--Repatriation; African American cemeteries--Desecration; Body snatching; History--Virginia--Richmond; Medical colleges--Corrupt practices; Universities and colleges--Corrupt practices; Racism in medicine; Racism against Black people; Public history; Community organization; College presidents
Place of Interview
Virginia Commonwealth University, The Workshop
City/Location
Richmond (Va.)
Genre
oral histories (literary genre)
Local Genre
oral history; sound recording; text
Type
Sound; Text
Digital Format
audio/mp3
Language
eng
Rights Statement URL
Rights
This material is protected by copyright, and copyright is held by Stephen Davenport. You are permitted to use this material in any way that is permitted by copyright. In addition, this material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Acknowledgment of Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is required.
Collection
East Marshall Street Well Oral History Project
Contributors
Virginia Commonwealth University
Source
"Interview with Stephen Davenport," East Marshall Street Well Oral History Project, M 573, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University.
File Name
emswoh_davenportstephen_interview.mp3
Disciplines
African American Studies | Digital Humanities | History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Oral History | Social History | United States History