Andreana Cunningham CISS affiliate of the month
Andreana (Andree) Cunningham is an anthropologist whose interdisciplinary research integrates bioarchaeological and archival evidence to examine the biosocial effects of the slave trade. She received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Florida in 2023. She is interested in the patterns of variation that existed for enslaved people in regions that are not traditionally placed in dialogue. These regions include theCaribbean, South Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean. Her research also examines the ways that these sites of the slave trade can be used to reimagine theory and practice around heritage preservation and community engagement. Her studies use archaeology as a tool for anthropological research regarding the forced migration of Africans and their descendants through the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. She aims to identify how complex slave trade routes and modes of enslavement have given rise to diverse and distinct biological and social outcomes for diaspora groups. Andree has conducted fieldwork centered around non-invasive osteology (i.e., the scientific study of bones), archival analysis, and community-based efforts in the U.S., St. Helena, and South Africa. One of her current research projects includes working with artists in Saint Helena to create portraits to commemorate individuals whose remains were carefully excavated from formerly enslaved burial grounds in the South Atlantic region. Learn more about Professor Cunningham in her full interview: https://www.bu.edu/ciss/2024/04/01/april-2024-dr-andreana-cunningham-cas-archaeology-anthropology-and-african-american-black-diaspora-studies/