Aaron Anderson Rock Van Winkle was born into slavery and is believed to have been one of the first enslaved persons to be brought to Northwest Arkansas. After emancipation, he became a landowner, father, and community member in Bentonville, Arkansas. But even today, his story remains largely absent from public memory. In this episode, we sit down with local historian Jerry Moore to explore Rock’s life and legacy, and to consider how the stories of formerly enslaved people have been preserved, distorted, or forgotten in the place they helped shape.
After the interview, we join Mr. Moore on a tour of three significant sites tied to Rock Van Winkle’s life: the stone farmhouse he owned, his grave at Bentonville Cemetery, and a rarely noticed public tablet at James Berry Park. Together, these places invite us to reflect on how memory is rooted in place and how public recognition is often reserved for only a few.
About the underview:
The underview is an exploration of the development of our Communal Theology of Place viewed through the medium of bikes, land, and people to discover community wholeness.
Website: theunderview.com
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Host: @mikerusch
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