Date of Award
6-17-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Heritage Studies, Ph.D.
First Advisor
Lauri Umansky
Committee Members
Edward Salo; Lillie Fears
Abstract
This dissertation examines the evolving public memory of the Elaine Massacre of 1919 through a critical analysis of media representation, commemorative practices, and descendant-led advocacy. Situating the massacre within the broader history of racial violence in the United States, the study argues that its significance extends beyond the events of 1919 to include the long-term processes of historical silencing, narrative distortion, and contested remembrance that have shaped its afterlife. Drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks from memory studies, critical heritage studies, and media discourse analysis, the research employs a qualitative thematic analysis of contemporary media publications from 2018 to 2024. Guided by Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s concept of historical “silencing” and Karlos K. Hill’s notion of “memory correction,” the study interrogates how power influences the production, preservation, and circulation of historical narratives. Through a systematic examination of journalistic texts, media articles, and public discourse, it demonstrates that media are not passive conveyors of information but active agents that shape collective memory, legitimize interpretations, and influence debates surrounding commemoration, reconciliation, and reparative justice. The findings identify four dominant thematic patterns: the politics of memorialization and site selection, the centrality of descendant voices and intergenerational memory, the emergence of reparatory justice in public journalism, and the expanding role of descendant leadership in community advocacy. While early twentieth-century media representations contributed to the criminalization of Black victims and the justification of racial violence, contemporary media have increasingly facilitated narrative recovery and historical correction. However, the study also reveals persistent challenges, including fragmented memorialization efforts, spatial displacement of commemorative sites, and the instability of public attention shaped by episodic media coverage. By foregrounding the role of media discourse in shaping public memory, this dissertation contributes to the historiography of racial violence and the field of heritage studies, demonstrating how narratives of the past are continuously negotiated in the present. It concludes that meaningful historical reckoning requires more than symbolic recognition; it demands sustained institutional support, ethical storytelling, and descendant-centered approaches to interpretation and memorialization, alongside continued efforts in education, policy development, and community engagement to support accountability and long-term national healing.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Afolabi, oyeronke Oyindamola, "Beyond Commemoration to Reparations: A Media Representation Analysis of the Elaine Massacre Of 1919" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1181.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1181
