Second Foundings: Universities, Slavery, and Struggles for Justice in Texas and Beyond
A conference hosted at Rice University, in collaboration with Universities Studying Slavery and the Texas Consortium of Universities and Colleges Studying Slavery and Race.
October 10-13, 2025
Rice University (Houston, Texas)
Keynote addresses by Ruth J. Simmons, President Emerita of Brown University, and Crystal R. Sanders, Associate Professor at Emory University
In 2025, the fall conference of the international Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium will be hosted in Houston, Texas, on the campus of Rice University, whose Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice recently concluded its formal work. Organized in collaboration with members of the Texas Consortium of Universities and Colleges Studying Slavery and Race, this conference will be the first meeting of the USS held west of the Mississippi River, as well as the first at a host institution opened after 1900.
As we gather in Texas during the 160th anniversary year of Juneteenth, the conference will consider questions including: How have the legacies of slavery and segregation shaped schools founded after abolition, including during the “Second Founding” of Reconstruction? When, why, and with what results were formerly segregated institutions re-founded as desegregating universities in the twentieth century? How can histories of slavery, segregation, and desegregation be seen on campus landscapes? As we approach the 20th anniversary of Brown University’s 2006 Slavery and Justice Report, where should the field of study that it helped to found go next? What roles have universities played in struggles for justice in the wake of slavery and segregation? What actions can and should they take now and in the future?
Register here to attend the conference, which is free and open to the public.
A schedule of events is forthcoming soon. For more information, contact Dr. Caleb McDaniel at caleb.mcdaniel@rice.edu or 713-348-2556.
Travel Arrangements
Special Hotel Rate: A block of hotel rooms has been reserved for the nights of October 10, 11, and 12, at a special conference rate at the Intercontinental Hotel, which is located very conveniently to Rice University where most conference events will be held.
Rooms can be reserved online using this link, or by calling the hotel's Reservations Department at 713.422.2779 and pressing “0” to speak to in House Reservations or toll-free at 888-465-4329. Mention that you are with "Universities Studying Slavery Conference 2025" for nights between October 10 and October 12, inclusive. The cut-off date for the special rate of $173/night is 9/10/25 (note that the link will quote a hold for an amenities fee of $15, but this will not actually be charged to those who secure the conference rate).
The hotel does not provide a shuttle service, but please refer to the information below regarding transportation options from each airport. We recommend choosing Hobby Airport over George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) due to its proximity and ease of travel.
Travel to and from Hobby Airport
Parking, Transportation, and Driving Directions
Program Committee
- Caleb McDaniel, host (Rice University)
- Daniel Domingues da Silva (Rice)
- Portia Hopkins (Rice)
- Sarah Beth Kaufman (Trinity University)
- Karen Kossie-Chernyshev (Texas Southern University)
- Jeffrey L. Littlejohn (Sam Houston State University)
- Marco Robinson (Prairie View A&M University)
- Norma Santamaria (Rice)
- Claire Wolnisty (Austin College)
Major funding for this conference has been provided by Creative Ventures Funds from the Office of Research and by the Humanities Research Center at Rice University.
