Students and Community Gather for Gifford History Speaker Sheila Curran Bernard

As part of the Gifford History Speakers’ Series, Albany Academy welcomed Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and University at Albany professor Sheila Curran Bernard on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Students, faculty, and members of the broader community gathered in the Upper School Caird Chapel to hear Bernard speak about her book, Bring Judgement Day, and her ongoing work uncovering overlooked narratives from the Jim Crow era.

Bernard emphasized the importance of history as more than just a subject in school but as an investigative practice rooted in primary sources. “History is a dynamic exercise,” she explained. “It's about questions and investigations, it's about finding new sources about something you thought you understood in the past." 

Her talk focused on the life and music of Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter and how the popular narrative of his criminal history was shaped, and overdramatized, by the racial climate of his time. Through this lens, Bernard illustrated how systemic racism during the Jim Crow era distorted not only public perception but also the historical record itself.

The event offered students a powerful reminder of how storytelling, research, and education can reshape our understanding of the past and, in turn, inform the future.

This event was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Gifford Grant at Albany Academy.