Newswise — Oct. 6, 2015

UT Experts Can Discuss Textbook Controversy about Slavery www.experts.tntoday.utk.edu

KNOXVILLE—A description of African slaves in America as "workers" in a Texas high school geography textbook has touched off a debate about the misrepresentation of slavery in academic works.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Professors Derek Alderman and Josh Inwood can discuss the controversy. They have written widely about the role that civil rights and critical discussions of race should play in education. They can also discuss the broader politics of talking about slavery in the United States.

Both experts are pushing to make civil rights the theme of the annual Geography Awareness Week in November.

Alderman, head of the UT Department of Geography, is an expert in cultural and historical geography, specifically related to public memory, heritage tourism, the civil rights movement, and African-American history. Read more about his expertise at www.experts.tntoday.utk.edu/experts/derek-alderman. Contact him at 865-974-0406 or [email protected].

Inwood, an associate professor of geography and Africana studies, is an expert on racism and violence. Read more about Inwood's expertise at www.experts.tntoday.utk.edu/experts/joshua-inwood. Contact him at 865-974-6170 or [email protected].

If you need assistance reaching Alderman and Inwood, contact Lola Alapo at 865-974-3993 or [email protected].

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