The conference ended nearly two months ago. This blog must, therefore, also come to an end. I’ll be closing the comments fairly soon, but the blog itself (and its individual posts/entries) will remain indefinitely.

While it was not a ground-breaking conference (there have been other Deaf history conferences, most notably Deaf History International’s (DHI) triennial gatherings (the next one is Stockholm in 2009)), it was an exciting one; the focus was ostensibly on Kendall Green and by extension Gallaudet University, but in reality we learned about such disparate topics as Laura Redden Searing, the history of African Deaf communities, deaf immigrants, the history of Kendall School and its black students, and Deaf ministers. This was in addition to more direct institutional history, such as the work of George Detmold, the life of Douglas Craig, mathematics instruction, and much more. Finally, the three keynote speeches addressed the history of the Deaf community and its origins as viewed through the prism of Kendall Green, the conflicts and leadership of the 20th century, and the concept and meanings behind Deafhood.

Some of these papers we may never hear about again; others will be presented again after further research and revisions, and some will be published as articles and books. As previously noted, Chris Krentz’s presentation was derived from his work, which will be published this fall. I expect some of the other information shared during this gathering will be published, such as Harry Lang’s work on Laura Redden Searing.

In any event, those of us in attendance and those of you who have been following this blog are now aware of the rich history that has been uncovered, the additional information that we now know. These new perceptions of historical events and figures will no doubt inspire additional research and work. Historical research and publication is never static; it’s an ongoing process. Both amateur and trained historians have much to contribute to historical research and writing, whether it’s general history, local history, U.S. history, or Deaf history.

I’m not sure about the other attendees, or about the readers of this blog, but for me, the conference whetted my appetite. Deaf history is still a small, new field, but there is still so much work that can and should be done. I’m not sure how or when I’ll contribute, but I hope to share what I can in whatever way I can to increasing the knowledge and understanding we have of Deaf people in America.

The conference was also beneficial in other ways of course; meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, and forging ties with people who share a common interest in history. It was also interesting being on campus again; like any other college campus, there’s always construction going on, little changes here and there, and of course, as an alumni, memories seeping from every corner and crevice.

I enjoyed the conference, and I also enjoyed being the “official” recorder of sorts as well. I only wish I could have done a better job. I had originally intended to (*cough*) “liveblog” the conference, with the vision that I would post entries as soon as possible after the actual presentations and speeches. Unfortunately, I was a bit too optimistic– for one thing, my typing speed is nowhere near 200 wpm, nor is my typing anywhere near 100% accuracy. Throw in technical problems (the power went out the afternoon of the first day, I had some difficulties with the computer the second day), and before you know it, it all snowballed. Unexpected illness and the demands of The Real World stretched out the completion of this blog.

So, I’d like to first thank my readers for their patience; if I ever have the opportunity to cover a conference or convention again, I’ll definitely do my part to ensure timeliness!

I’d like to thank Brian Greenwald and his committee, for asking me to take on this responsibility, and then supporting me throughout. I’d also like to thank the Gallaudet University Press for supporting this endeavor as well– both this blog and the conference.

I’d like to thank the conference attendees for allowing me to get in their face with my camera; I only wish I’d had more opportunities to take more photos, especially more candid shots.

While all the presenters should be acknowledged for their presentations and speeches, I’d especially like to thank Dr. James McPherson, Dr. I. King Jordan, and Dr. Paddy Ladd for agreeing to an interview. I think the interviews allowed the opportunity to expand more on the central points all three wanted to make, and also permitted the audience here at the blog to better understand each man and what they brought to the conference.

The comments you left also made this a fun interactive experience. I would like to specifically thank Barb DiGi, a fellow conference attendee, for her sharp attention to detail. Barb has vlogged a few entries about the conference. I had the pleasure of meeting her, and only wish she’d introduced herself earlier!

I also owe gratitude to Shane Feldman and Jared Evans. Both covered the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) conference last summer in Palm Desert, California, and thus had invaluable experience in covering a conference/convention. Both were generous with their thoughts and insights. Thank you, Shane and Jared!

The suggestions I received from Feldman and Evans (no relation, folks!) helped immeasurably; but in retrospect, there’s more I could have done. That’s always the case, I think. But overall, I think this blog accomplished what it set out to do.

Thanks for joining me. See you at the next Deaf history conference, wherever and whenever it is (I’m considering the possibility of Sweden in 2009. See what happens…)!

Postscript: It has been remarked on here and elsewhere that these individual entries contain a lot of information. I want to make it clear here: NONE of these entries I’ve written are verbatim transcripts. They are SUMMARIZATIONS. Please treat them as such. Additionally, I’d like to again remind everyone that if you use any material here, you need to cite your source. Give credit to myself/this blog, and credit to the original presenter. Thank you.