The Epa Committee on the Legacy of Slavery and the Impact of Segregation at Prairie View A&M University

The Epa Committee on the Legacy of Slavery and the Impact of Segregation at Prairie View A&M University was formed under the direction of President Ruth J.  Simmons in the wake of the national protests for social justice that galvanized the United States during 2020. The Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice administrators adopted the short name, the Epa Committee, in connection with the Ghanaian Adinkra symbol. The Epa is a sign of handcuffs representing slavery and justice, which reminds society that all forms of slavery are discouraged by the law.[i]

The Epa Committee is composed of PVAMU faculty, staff, students, administrators, experts, and community members. The groundbreaking work of this committee, one of the first self-studies on slavery and segregation at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), will provide a model for other HBCUs to follow in order to more deeply understand the legacy of slavery and the impact of segregation on historically black institutions.

The Epa Committee has embarked on a multi-year self-study of the legacy of slavery and the impact of segregation at PVAMU. This self-study will explore the contours of the lives of enslaved people on the former plantation grounds, the circumstances around the erection of the university, and the impact of segregation on the local black community and the institution. Faculty researchers, experts, committee members, and local community volunteers will join forces to bring light to these topics.

The Committee, along with PVAMU student researchers, is currently teaming up with community partners and experts to conduct archival searches and oral histories with Prairie View, Texas residents. Leading experts will consult with the committee on conducting the study. At the conclusion of the data collection, the committee will produce a formal report that will be released around the 150th anniversary of PVAMU in 2026.

[i] Jasmine Danzy, “Adinkra Symbols: An Ideographic Writing System,” Master’s Thesis, Stony Brook University, 2009.