On Thursday, January 26, alumna Allison Gupton ‘18 served as a guest speaker for the Department of History. Speaking for the series “Living History,” she shared about her work at the Historic Hope Plantation, where she serves as Historian and Senior Docent.

Gupton’s talk was titled “A Step Towards Hope.” She shared with the audience that choosing Chowan was the best decision she has ever made and that many skills she learned at the university have carried her into her career. She cited Chowan’s HIST 210 – Introduction to Historical Investigation as the class that provided her with the research skills needed as Historic Hope’s historian.

In her roles at the Historic Hope Plantation, Gupton stated that she specializes in research and public relations (tours and lectures). Gupton shared some of the current projects, which include the Lazy Hill collection and the burial site for David Stone, who was governor of North Carolina from 1808 to 1810.

In her talk with students, she also shared some of the challenges of working with public history, which include a growing lack of interest in local history, a lack of documentation, a lack of funds, and the challenges surrounding the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic.

“The history department was really excited to welcome Allison back to campus and hear about the fascinating work she is doing at Historic Hope Plantation,” shared Dr. Edward Snyder, Associate Professor of History and Chair for the Department of History and Religion. “We are so proud of what she has accomplished as Hope’s senior docent, and we cannot wait to see where her current project leads.”

On Saturday, February 25, at 9:30 am, Dr. David Ballew, Associate Professor of History, will be delivering a guest lecture at the Hope Plantation as part of Hope Plantataion’s 29th Annual Black History Month Lecture and Lunch. His lecture is titled “Plantations, Fields and Churches: Challenges of Writing African-American History under Slavery.” Lectures are free, and there is a lunch buffet following the lectures that is $15.00 Anyone who wishes to reserve a place for lunch should email Hope at info@hopeplantation.org

About the Hope Plantation

“Welcome to Historic Hope Plantation, restored home of former North Carolina Governor David Stone (1770-1818). Located four miles west of Windsor, NC, the plantation complex offers unique insights into the late 18th- and 19th-century rural life in eastern North Carolina and the South.” Learn more at https://historichope.org/