Resistance and Compliance: CRM and the Archaeology of the African Diaspora

Abstract

Archaeological investigations carried out in compliance with the dictates of the National Historic Preservation Act have played an integral role in developing our understanding of and approach to the archaeology of the African diaspora. These cultural resource management (CRM) studies include several landmark projects that helped shape the national approach to African American archaeology. However, as with other sectors of the discipline, CRM archaeology of the African diaspora is presently suffering from a period of stagnation and lack of focus. This paper considers CRM’s contribution to the archaeology of African America, past and present, and attempts to project the future place of CRM in the study of the African American past.