Amy Christiansen, Archivist, University of West Alabama
Proposal Type: Panel
Abstract: The University of West Alabama’s Division of Educational Outreach seeks to meet the educational needs of Alabama’s Black Belt region by promoting its historical and natural resources through programs, events, and workshops. Alabama’s Black Belt was once the wealthiest area in America during the 1830/1840s due to its cotton plantations and the slavery system. But today, the Black Belt region is one of the poorest and most rural in the state of Alabama. Within this poor and rural culture, history has put been on the edge of importance in many instances. This presentation will discuss the Division’s successes and failures in promoting the Black Belt’s history among its communities by examining the Black Belt Archives and Black Belt Museum’s public history programs.
Seeking: Hope to hear from others struggling to promote public history programs among their communities and states. Looking for other panelists to discuss their ability to create attention and involvement in archival workshops and museum events among a region that does not understand the need of history in their culture.
Related Topics: Museums/Exhibits, Preservation, Archives
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to share contact information for other people the proposer should reach out to, please get in contact directly: Amy Christiansen, achristiansen[at]uwa.edu
If you have general ideas or feedback to share please feel free to use the comments feature below.
I was just having a conversation with a former student of mine who is now a curator at an industrial history museum in Texas in a town with a population of 10. Seriously. Something really small. I wondered if she might organize a working group or roundtable called something like “History on the Edge of Nowhere.” Is the problem of isolation and low potential audience numbers core to what you are trying to work out? If so, email me and I can put you in touch with my former student.