Affiliated Faculty and Students

The Center for the Study of Slavery shapes its work thanks to the creativity of our talented faculty and students.

Founding Director

Adam Rothman is Professor in the History Department at Georgetown University and curator of the Georgetown Slavery Archive. He is the author of Slave Country: American Expansion and the Origins of the Deep South and Beyond Freedom’s Reach: A Kidnapping in the Twilight of Slavery, which won the American Civil War Museum’s book prize and several other awards. He is co-editor with Dr. Elsa Barraza Mendoza of Facing Georgetown’s History: A Reader in Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation, published by Georgetown University Press in 2021. He teaches courses in slavery, U.S. History, and archival studies. He was a member of Georgetown’s Working Group on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation.

Adam Rothman, a white man in a suit with dark blonde hair and beard, stands in front of a projected image of an old document.

Affiliated Faculty

Graduate Students

Undergraduate Students

Penelope Anderson

Penelope Anderson is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences studying American Studies and Psychology with a minor in Law, Justice, and Society. She is passionate about reading, writing, advocacy, cooking, baking, and spending time with others. On campus, Penelope enjoys looking for pretty views, reading on Copley Lawn, and spending time with friends. She is from New Orleans, Louisiana.

William Freericks

William Freericks is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences studying History. He is particularly interested in archival research and in examining how historical documents shape the narratives we tell about the past. He is also interested in how Georgetown can reckon with its history of profiting from the slave trade and engage with its enduring legacies.

Tiara Haggins

Tiara Haggins is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences studying Black Studies and History. She is interested in making genealogical work more accessible and ensuring the University continues to acknowledge and engage with its history. Outside of research, she works for the Black Studies Department, is a resident of the Black House, and is the program coordinator for the Black Leadership Forum.

Madison Kim

Madison Kim is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences studying History and English. She is particularly interested in archival research and in examining how historical and personal narratives shape collective memory. She hopes to contribute to the Center’s work on the enduring legacies of enslavement and to help share research on the university’s historical ties to slavery. Madison is working on the analysis and visualization of data from emancipation records.