Faculty Sabbaticals

Jennifer Graham Chair, Visual Arts Department

Walking in the Footsteps of Giants

A Journey to the Civil Rights Landmarks of the South [ Elizabeth Warren P’26]

This past year, I embarked on a deeply meaningful journey—a summer sabbatical where I traveled to several historical civil rights landmarks across the United States. Divided into two parts, this trip of a lifetime took me from the rolling hills of Virginia to the deep South, where I walked in the footsteps of giants who fought for justice and equality. As much as I desired to take in the history and pay homage to those who came before me, I strategically avoided the sweltering Southern heat, opting to split my journey between the cooler months of the year.

Beginning Where It All Began: Monticello

My journey began in Virginia at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. For me, it was crucial to start at the origin—where the seeds of American history and the brutal institution of slavery were sown. Walking through the grounds of Monticello, with my 12-year-old son at the time, was a powerful experience. As we learned more about the enslaved people who lived and worked there, I found myself envisioning what life would have been like for my son as he sat at the site of the “nailery,” a workshop where enslaved boys, some as young as 10, toiled day in and day out. This grounding experience set the tone for the rest of the trip.

A Northern Detour: Washington, DC

After Virginia, we traveled north to Washington, DC, a city steeped in African American history. Our exploration of Georgetown took us to the historic First Baptist Church and the Mt. Zion + Female Band Cemetery. We learned about the intricacies of Patrick Frances Healy, the esteemed 29th President of Georgetown University. Our time in DC was further enriched by a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and a tour of Howard University. A lovely dinner with Suleni Sabio Arzu-Brown ’22 who attends Howard University, at the historic Georgia Brown’s restaurant just steps away from the White House rounded out our stay. These experiences, though centered in the North, were deeply connected to the broader narrative of the Civil Rights Movement.

ı It is through the sharing of these stories that we can continue to honor those who came before us and inspire future generations to carry the torch forward.

Taking on the South

In February, I solo-ventured south, where my journey was bookended by tributes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. My travels began in Memphis, Tennessee, with a visit to The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel—the site of Dr. King’s assassination. The weight of history hung heavy in the air as I explored the Lorraine Motel, Clayborne Temple, I Am A Man Plaza, and the Beale Street Historic District, all pivotal locations in the struggle for civil rights. From Memphis, I traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, a city that was at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. Here, I visited Kelly Ingram Park, the 16th Street Baptist Church, and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Each stop deepened my understanding of the movement’s complexity and the courage of those who stood against injustice.

My journey continued to Selma, where I walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge—a site forever etched in history due to the events of “Bloody Sunday.” The visit to the Lowndes Interpretive Center added another layer of context, highlighting the lesser-known stories of the movement. Continuing westward, I visited Montgomery and Tuskegee, Alabama. In Montgomery, I reflected on the legacy of Dr. King at Dexter Ave. King Memorial Baptist Church and The Legacy Museum. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice was a somber reminder of the lives lost to racial violence. Tuskegee offered a different perspective, where I visited the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Tuskegee University, and The Oaks, the home of Booker T. Washington. These stops celebrated the achievements of African Americans in education and military service, adding a layer of pride to the trip.

Finally, I ended my journey in Atlanta, Georgia, where I visited The King Center, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Dr. King’s birth home. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights provided a fitting conclusion to my trip, tying together the threads of history, activism, and ongoing struggles for equality.

Reflection and Revelation

This journey was life-changing and something I had wanted to undertake for a very long time. Yet, I was unprepared for the emotional toll it would take on me. At each stop, I felt a profound heaviness, a sadness that was difficult to shake. Growing up in the United States, we are taught the Civil Rights Movement, focused on a few key figures and events. However, this trip introduced me to the stories of hundreds of others—ordinary people who protested, fought, and died for equality. I learned about Johnny Robinson and Virgil Ware, two young boys whose lives were tragically cut short by racial violence. I discovered the story of Rev. Martin Luther King Sr., a man whose influence on the movement is often overshadowed by his son’s legacy. I also encountered the stories of African American soldiers and veterans of WWII, who faced discrimination at home despite fighting for freedom abroad. A park ranger at the Tuskegee Airmen Museum shared a poignant statement made by his father, a WWII veteran: “I fought for this country on three continents and I came home and don’t have the same rights as white veterans.” These are the stories we don’t learn in school, but they are the stories we need to learn.

Through my work, education, and passion, I am committed to telling these stories—the voices of the unheard, the unknown, the forgotten. Those we learned about as young people and those we’ve yet to know. And it is through the sharing of these stories that we can continue to honor those who came before us and inspire future generations to carry the torch forward.

Following the Path of Ansel Adams

Experiencing the West with Traditional Photography [ Jennifer Graham]

My first trip out West was when I was three years old. Over the intervening years, white water rafting, camping, hiking, and fishing with my family in the beautiful landscape of the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho have become treasured memories from my childhood. The last time I was at the family cabins in Idaho was when I was 15 years old, the same year that I discovered my passion for film photography. I remember this experience so vividly as I had also fallen in love with the beautiful, meticulous landscape photography of Ansel Adams.

His imagery is renowned for his connection to light and majestic framing of landscapes. The detail he captured on large format film documenting Yellowstone Park, and the Sawtooth and Teton mountains continue to captivate photographers 100-years later. Revisiting these places as a trained photographer with 20 years of experience in both traditional film and digital photography, I dove deeper into my passion and further developed my technical skills. This body of work demonstrates my growth creatively and conceptually over time.

ı There are no forms in nature. Nature is a vast, chaotic collection of shapes. You as an artist create configurations out of chaos. You make a formal statement where there was none to begin with. All art is a combination of an external event and an internal event—I make a photograph to give you the equivalent of what I felt. Equivalent is still the best word. [Ansel Adams] ı Life is your art.

An open, aware heart is your camera.

A oneness with your world is your film.

Your bright eyes and easy smile is your museum.

[Ansel Adams]

With each place I visited, I made sure to see the space first in black and white, standing in the same spots Ansel Adams did almost a century ago, framing and capturing the landscapes with crisp focus, deep aperture, and precision on large format black and white film. I then took the time to process the areas through my own lens, utilizing my three medium format film cameras, the Fuji-6X9, Mamiya-645, and a Yashica-635 to photograph 120 Kodak Porta 400 color film. Along the way I would capture imagery with my digital camera, knowing that these images would later be edited into digital negatives to create cyanotype imagery for my embroidery work.

The exhibition embodied all that I am as a photographer: classically trained in film and darkroom techniques but also fascinated with manipulating and utilizing digital imagery to find new ways to generate mixed media and connect with my subject and new materials. I hope my work makes you feel immersed in the landscapes and beauty that is preserved through our national parks and vast landscapes of the American West.

Alumni Leadership Award | Jody Cranmore ’73, P’10

Suffield represents a great deal to me. During my four years here I made friendships that have lasted a lifetime and my experience really shaped my life and my values.

Suffield Academy recognized Jody Cranmore ’73, P’10, with the 2024 Alumni Leadership Award. Jody has been a leader in the legal field since beginning his career in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in 1979. Throughout his corporate law career, Jody has represented financial institutions and their affiliates in all operational and regulatory matters, successfully guiding more than 50 financial institutions through merger and acquisition transactions.

Jody played a pivotal role in founding Suffield’s Alumni Association and establishing the Alumni Leadership Award in 2003. He was selected as the 2024 recipient in recognition of his distinguished professional career and unwavering dedication to Suffield. During his acceptance speech, he reflected on the profound impact Suffield has had on him for over fifty years.

Returning for his 50th class reunion in fall 2023, he expressed the joy of reconnecting with classmates from around the country and the world.

“Suffield represents a great deal to me. During my four years here, I made friendships that have lasted a lifetime, and my experiences truly shaped my life and values,” he shared. Jody went on to thank the extraordinary teachers who taught him how to think critically and communicate effectively both in and outside the classroom. He concluded his talk by sharing five key lessons learned throughout his life:

Avoid short-timer syndrome. In the military, short-timer syndrome refers to a lapse in judgment or mistakes often made during the final weeks of service. I advise you to avoid this and to finish the academic year on a positive note and with a strong effort.

Be courageous. Embrace courage in your course choices, life decisions, and the way you choose to live. Don’t live with regrets about paths not taken.

Measure twice, cut once. Verify everything before deciding. Just as you would double-check measurements before cutting wood, research thoroughly before forming an opinion.

Know who you are. This relates to your faith, family, friends, and community—those who will stand by you when you need them most. Ensure you’re giving back to them throughout your life.

Use your time and talents wisely. Suffield has equipped you for success in college and beyond, and we’re all proud of the difference you will make.

We welcome your nominations for Alumni Leadership Award recipients. Follow the QR code to identify noteworthy candidates.