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Join Dr. Johnny Finn,  Associate Professor of Geography in the Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology at Christopher Newport University, for an exploration into research of 21st Century Segregation in Hampton Roads.

The “Living Together / Living Apart” project is a long-term participatory action research project that focuses on the human experience and toll of persistent racial segregation in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Indeed, racial segregation in most major U.S. metropolitan areas is worse today than it was during Reconstruction. This did not happen by accident, nor did it happen overnight; the origins of racial segregation in the American city are deep, and go far beyond the oft-cited quip that “birds of a feather flock together.” Rather, a combination of discriminatory housing and economic policies, and both overt and indirect racism throughout much of the 20^th century, lie at its heart. 

This project uses oral history interviews, historical documents, participant-directed photography, and digital mapping to engage the local community in meaningful, open ways and to challenge the “naturalness” of segregated landscapes and explore alternative futures. In this presentation Dr. Finn will provide an overview of the theoretical and historical underpinning of racial segregation in Hampton Roads, present his research team’s preliminary findings, and discuss his forthcoming book on the project. Attendees will also be able to use multiple interactive digital maps to explore the multifaceted impacts of racial segregation across Hampton Roads. To learn more about the project. visit https://www.livingtogetherlivingapart.com/ 

The program is free to museum members, $5 for non-members. Not yet a museum member? Join today and save!

Dr. Johnny Finn is an Associate Professor of Geography in the Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology at Christopher Newport University. A critical human geographer, Finn’s research focuses on struggles over race, space, and identity. He has conducted extensive field research in Brazil, Cuba, and in Hampton Roads, Virginia, where his current research focuses on the human experience of persistent racial segregation in the 21st century. Finn has published over 25 research articles and book chapters, has attracted over $150,000 in grant funding, and has given more than 20 invited lectures across North America, Latin America, and Europe. In January 2019, Finn became the Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning peer-reviewed Journal of Latin American Geography. At CNU, Finn teaches courses human geography, human-environment interaction, globalization, urban geography, field research methods, and Latin American studies.

The Hampton History Museum is located at 120 Old Hampton Lane in Downtown Hampton. There is free parking in the garage across the street from the museum. For more information call 757-727-1102.