Many history interpreters of color carry weight of racism

Stephen Seals stood onstage waiting to be auctioned off. Moments later, a white slave auctioneer pointed a gun at one of or Black men gared with Seals, and a Black mor cried for her children.

scene, titled “What Holds Future,” was Seals’ first scripted piece at Colonial Williamsburg, an immersive living-history museum in Williamsburg, Virginia, where costumed interpreters of history reenact scenes from colonial past and portray figures from that period.

“Every time you did this piece, it hurt,” said Seals, an actor-interpreter and community outreach and program development manager at site.

After scene, actors would spend 15 minutes checking in with each or. Sometimes y cried toger. Sometimes y sat in silence.

As historic sites like Colonial Williamsburg are working to be more racially inclusive, many actor-interpreters of color say y appreciate efforts. But it’s a weighty and often painful experience to portray enslaved people or ors who lived through racism of past. work of getting into character has m exploring difficult parts of history, and once y step back into real world y still are confronted with current-day racism.

“I can take off costume," said Deirdre Jones Cardwell, programming le for actor-interpreters at Williamsburg. "But I can’t take off my Blackness."

Sharing stories of Colonial Williamsburg’s residents of color is a relatively new phenomenon in site’s nearly 90-year history. It wasn’t until 1979 when museum began telling Black stories, and not until 2002 that it launched its American Indian Initiative. Even in recent years, interpreters say stories of Black and Native American people haven’t always gotten equate programming slots, vertising and research support.

“re was a point in Colonial Williamsburg’s history that interpreters weren’t allowed to talk about slavery,” Jones Cardwell said. “We’ve come a long way since that, but re’s a long way to go.”

Lately, Colonial Williamsburg expanded recruitment efforts and outreach to historically Black colleges and universities, partnered with local groups like city's historic First Baptist Church, and set aside time monthly for employees of color to meet. Last year, site launched unconscious bias training for senior leership and plans for diversity training for all employees this year.

Similar efforts are underway at Stuhr Museum of Prairie Pioneer, in Grand Island, Nebraska, where a new permanent exhibit tells story of a once-enslaved Black man who became one of area's most prominent physicians. museum is also partnering with a local multicultural coalition to explore stories of 12 Black families who settled in northwest Nebraska in 1880s.

But executive director Chris Hochstetler says more must be done. He estimates only 1% to 3% of Stuhr's costumed interpreters are people of color. When he arrived at museum in February 2020, Hochstetler “realized we needed to ask ourselves some serious questions about wher we are representing our community fully.”

As nation reckons with racism after high-profile police brutality cases last year, Jones Cardwell says Black interpreters are feeling more empowered to push for inclusive programming and hiring. But she says much of burden has fallen on shoulders of employees of color.

She is grateful for moments she has out of character. During breaks, she does breathing exercises or prays. When she researches or teaches about racial violence of colonial era, she thinks of helines of Black people being killed by police today.

“ more that you learn about this history, heavier it feels,” she said. “We’re still dealing with ripples from past.”

Actor-interpreter Mary Carter takes off her costume whenever she can.

“Mentally, I can’t be in those clos any longer than I have to,” she said.

“But,” she ded, “even when y come off, I can’t put racism away.”

As Carter talks to guests about a 1705 law referring to biracial people as “an abominable mixture," she is aware of racism she’s faced herself as a mixed-race Black woman. It took years for her to realize toll work was taking, she says, and managers didn't fully understand. So she leaned on Black colleagues, a rapist and Black women in museum field.

Interpreters of color are often racially harassed by site visitors, and sexual abuse — physical and verbal — is common, especially against Black women, said Cheyney McKnight, a historical interpreter and founder of Not Your Momma's History, an organization that helps historical sites develop inclusive programs. McKnight has begged managers to have security guards nearby. At times, speaking with hostile guests has left her in tears.

“It was like feeding me to wolves every day,” said McKnight, who has worked with over 45 historical sites.

Talon Silverhorn, a Colonial Williamsburg American Indian interpreter and member of Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, doesn’t portray a specific person. Inste, he shows up to work as himself and teaches guests about his tribe’s history. But even that takes an emotional toll.

Some guests have told him that colonists should have completely wiped out Native Americans. In training, interpreters are taught to detach mselves from stories y tell, but Silverhorn says that for interpreters of color, “re’s only so much of that that can be done.”

Last year, Silverhorn started going to rapy, which Colonial Williamsburg covers. It's helped, but he said re's still more work to do.

Novella Nimmo, education coordinator and actor-interpreter at National Underground Railro Freedom Center in Cincinnati, often portrays her own great-grandmor, who was born into slavery.

“It’s draining but it’s also uplifting," she said. “You’re telling a story that America wants to forget. You’re telling story of your ancestors, who were never able to tell ir stories. That’s what keeps me going. I remember ir strength, and that gives me strength.”

Interpreters of color also would like to see white interpreters get more training on histories of communities of color.

McKnight vocates for support groups, hazard pay and full rapy coverage for interpreters of color.

“ job of Black interpreters is different,” McKnight said. “And we need different support.”