Discover the hidden histories of Clemson University's Woodland Cemetery through the groundbreaking research of Dr. Rhondda Robinson Thomas. As faculty director, Dr. Thomas leads efforts to preserve, document, and recover the stories behind more than 600 unmarked graves belonging to enslaved individuals, sharecroppers, and convicted laborers who built the campus. This special two-part OLLI event begins with an engaging classroom lecture at the Cheezem Education Center. The second part will take place on November 12, where participants have a guided walking tour of the Woodland Cemetery grounds to honor those buried in this sacred space.

Dr. Rhondda Robinson Thomas is the Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature at Clemson University where she teaches, researches, and writes about early African American literature in the Department of English. She earned a Ph.D. in English from the University of Maryland, a master’s in journalism from the University of Georgia, and a bachelor’s degree in communication media/journalism from Washington Adventist Columbia Union College.