In February, we asked our alumni: If you could go back in time to witness any historical event, which one would you want to see and why? What would you try to learn while you were there? Read on to see what they said.
Christina Shaver Kelly (BA '72): "May 1780, when the Governor of New York, George Clinton, led an expedition, mostly of militiamen, up Lake George by bateaux to try to intercept Sir Johnson and a mixed force of British, Tories, and Indians, headed back to Canada as after committing depredations in the Mohawk Valley. They missed him by a few hours."
Melinda Lyons (née Birnbaum, BA '79): "I would go back to the location where language first developed, to see if it 'emerged' from grunts or other verbalizations, or actually a small vocabulary using distinct sounds was created by the first human users."
Paul Siff (PhD '69): "The crucifixion and entombment of Jesus, to find out what really happened to his corpse."
Kate Slocum (BA '01): "I'd like to go back to mid-19th century upstate NY. I'd want to observe Black men and women making business, schools, philanthropic and artistic organizations. So much of what I've learned about Black history in America has had a geographical locus of upstate NY. I'd want to know more about the men and women who succeeded against unknowable odds to build businesses, schools, and societies in this region. I want to know the un- and lesser-known Black history of New York. That kind of knowledge could change minds today. Could change the world."
Jeremy Stein (BA '94): "It was only once I started teaching my middle schoolers about medieval Africa that I learned about Mansa Musa. I’d like to go on his legendary Hajj and see how he 'sold' the idea of Mali to the rest of the Islamic world. Such incredible opulence would be a sight to see."
Thank you to everyone who participated, and Meliora!