FORT WORTH, Texas, March 3, 2021 – Dr. Frederick W. Gooding, Jr., associate professor of African American studies in the John V. Roach Honors College at Texas Christian University, has been named a Leonard A. Lauder Visiting Senior Fellow by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. for the period of June 15 through August 15, 2021.
“Dr. Gooding is an intellectually gifted and accomplished scholar whose investigation of black statues in our nation’s capital will surely result in an outstanding monograph,” Dr. Ron Pitcock, interim dean of the John V. Roach Honors College, said. “Being appointed a Leonard A. Lauder Visiting Senior Fellow at the National Gallery of Art represents a major achievement and is a most deserved distinction that reflects the Honors College’s commitment to critical thinking and inquiry, as well as TCU’s excellence in research in the humanities.”
Dr. Gooding’s work with the National Gallery will inform a general interest book provisionally titled Black Statues: Where We Stand on Race Within Our Capital Space. The book will consider the underexplored iconography and meaning of Black public history by examining Black statues as barometers of political power within Washington, D.C.
“In the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, many communities responded to calls for social justice by taking down existing Confederate monuments. This got me thinking – while we debate which statues to take down and what that means for society, what about a deeper conversation about which statues have already been erected?” Dr. Gooding said. “I’m interested to study the historical and political implications of Black statues in our nation’s capital to see what they stand to tell us. Perhaps revealing messages about Blacks’ status in society are merely hidden in plain sight.”
The Leonard A. Lauder Senior fellowship was established in 2020 and builds upon the ongoing initiative of The National Gallery of Art’s Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (CASVA) to promote the study of African American art. The fellowship supports scholars researching historically underrepresented areas of art-historical study and the first fellowship cycle will support those focusing on the arts of African Americans, Africa, and the African diaspora.
Gooding plans to share his research findings upon his return, but welcomes any tips/insights in the interim -- you can reach him directly at f.gooding@tcu.edu.