News
In celebration of the Girl Scouts’ centennial this March, Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Wendell E. Pritchett and Arts & Sciences Dean Kriste Lindenmeyer invite you to join us for a special Women’s History Month event, featuring acclaimed historian Stacy A. Cordery, author of the first full-scale biography of maverick Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low.
Cordrey’s book, Juliette Gordon Low: The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts, is receiving national attention for telling the complete life story of the vibrant and headstrong woman who brought the Girl Scouts of the USA into existence and touched the lives of millions of girls and women.
Wednesday, March 7
6:30 to 8 p.m.
Campus Center, main level, Multi-Purpose Room
Register for the event here.
On Thursday, February 23 the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center (FWWIC) presents a special Black History Month event, African-Americans as Militiamen During the American War of Independence. Dr. Robert Selig, an historian who specializes on the American Revolutionary War, will speak about the conditions within which militia service developed.
Historian Joe Becton (audio) will present his research on the history of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment of the Continental Army. The 1st Rhode Island was known as the “Black Regiment.” The Rhode Island legislature, faced with dwindling recruitment numbers, extended enlistment (and freedom) to “able-bodied” slaves. In his research, Becton has identified 287 members of the unit.
The program will focus on Pennsylvania and Rhode Island in particular.
Additionally, Congressman Chaka Fattah, who serves as an Honorary Co-Chair on the FWWIC Advisory Council, will be recognized for his contributions to the creation of a new seven hundred mile National Historic Trail. In 2009, Congressman Fattah co-sponsored the legislation that created the trail, which runs from Boston, Massachusetts to Yorktown, Virginia.
Joseph DiBello, the National Park Service Superintendent for the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) National Historic Trail, will present the new brochures and maps at the FWWIC.
For more information, see the flyer below (a few clicks are necessary), or call 215-685-0723
On Monday, February 13, 2012, President Barack Obama awarded the 2011 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal. National History Day, a year-long academic program that encourages 6th to 12th grade students to engage in hands-on historical research, was awarded the 2011 National Humanities Medal. The offices of National History Day are based at the University of Maryland at College Park. Dr. Cathy Gorn, executive director of NHD, accepted the award on behalf of the NHD staff, board and honorary advisory council.
National History Day had its beginnings at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, but now operates in all fifty states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories. There are international endeavors as well, with expansion into Europe, China, Indonesia, and South Korea. In all, the program serves more than half a million children each year.
NHD culminates each year in a national competition held each June at the University of Maryland at College Park.
Read more about the program at National History Day.
A full list of recipients and their achievements is available at whitehouse.gov.
From The American Revolution Center, Philadelphia, PA:
H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest, chairman of The American Revolution Center today announced that Michael C. Quinn will join the organization as president and CEO effective April 1, 2012. Quinn will oversee all aspects of the development of The Museum of the American Revolution, to be built in the historic area of Philadelphia.
Since 1999, Quinn has served as president and CEO of The Montpelier Foundation. Under his leadership, the home of James Madison and its surrounding environment were transformed from a 1900s mansion into a vibrant interpretive and educational center focusing on James Madison and the U.S. Constitution. He oversaw the $25million restoration of James Madison’s home, and the planning and construction of a 15,000 square foot visitor center. He conceived and oversaw the establishment of the Center for the Constitution, which annually provides advanced intellectual seminars on constitutional theory for more than 700 teachers, police officers, and legislators.
Previously, Quinn served as deputy director at Mt. Vernon’s Ladies Association where he was responsible for on-site interpretation, educational programs, special events, marketing, public relations, and publications. He also served as executive director of the D.C. Preservation League and as a preservation planner for the U.S. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Quinn received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, a Master of Arts from Yale University, and a Master of Business Administration from George Mason University. He will be moving to Philadelphia with his wife, Carolyn.
Read the ARC press release in its entirety here (PDF).
From nps.gov:
After meeting with members of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s family regarding the recently-dedicated Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial on the National Mall, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis announced a plan on February 10, 2012 to correct the “Drum Major ” quote to more accurately reflect the meaning and intent of Dr. King’s original statement.
The plan calls to remove the paraphrased quote and replace it with the original quote in its entirety. The monument would no longer read “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.” The quote would read, “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”
The NPS expects that portions of the granite stones carrying the current quote will have to be replaced. They are exploring options to secure funding for the correction, but have set a deadline for the fix. The work should be completed in time for the celebration of Dr. King’s birthday in January 2013.
From NJCH:
Are you a New Jersey educator, or do you know someone who is? NJCH has announced the 2012 summer schedule for the Teacher Institute, courses offering 45 hours of professional development credit. The weeklong seminars are residential on the campus of the RIchard Stockton College of New Jersey just outside of Atlantic City. Courses are tuition-free; a registration fee of $100 covers the cost of books, meals, overnight accommodations, speakers, a field trip, and more!
Courses are accredited through Stockton College and offer the opportunity to earn 3 graduate credits with the successful completion of a research paper. Teachers also have the option of completing a curriculum project.
The Civil War In America: Sunday, July 8-Friday, July 13.
Seminar Leader: Clement Price, Rutgers Unversity-Newark
The Civil War was a critical moment in the construction of the American nation. While no battles during the Civil War were fought on New Jersey soil, the state’s attitudes and actions crucial when looking within specific historical context. This seminar will examine the Civil War’s standing in American History and historical sensibilities from the 1830s through the traumatic years of the War itself, focusing on the causes of the War, its impact on New Jersey, and new scholarship on women and African Americans during this period.
Narratives of Immigration: Asian American Communities and Conflict: Sunday, July 29- Friday, August 3.
Seminar Leader: Allan Isaac, Rutgers University
The United States, as a nation of immigrants, is increasingly defined by the narratives of its immigrant populations. This seminar takes up the novels, short stories, films and music that tell the stories of Asian immigrants’ arrival, sense of belonging, and the difficulties they have faced upon settling. Teachers will examine how Asian conceptualizations of national, racial and ethnic communities are formed, and how the idea of “community” relates to issues of immigration, colonialism, exile, integration and assimilation, political presence, religion, criminality, and “back home” nationalism.
For more information and to download the registration forms, visit the NJCH Teacher Institute.
From the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor :
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Board of Directors has appointed Elissa Garofalo as its President and Executive Director. She has been the D&L’s Vice-President since 2009, but began her career with D&L in 2000 as a Heritage Development Specialist. Garofalo succeeds C. Allen Sachse, who after 12 years has retired from the position. He will serve as Special Advisor for Strategic Partnerships, a part-time position focused on D&L’s partnerships with federal and state governments.
D&L promoted Silas Chamberlin to Director of Stewardship & Interpretation. In this capacity, Chamberlin will develop and implement the organization’s conservation, preservation and interpretation policies.
In addition to these changes, the D&L added new members to its Board of Directors, James Birdsall of Bethlehem and Robert Skulsky of Hazelton who replace Charles Petrillo, Jr and William Mitchell.
Read more about these transitions at D&L.
The Conservation Center for Art & Historical Artifacts (CCAHA) offers training programs to help preserve Pennsylvania’s at-risk collections. The programs are offered in connection with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and are supported by an Institute of Museum and Library Services Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grant.
CCAHA will hold a Digitization Basics Workshop on April 3, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Registration is required two weeks before the workshop and is $25 for PA institutions, $75 for out of state institutions.
Every institution struggles with pressure to be visible on the web and to make its collections accessible to wider audiences, and many face daunting hurdles to implementing digitization programs. This program will cover basic issues in digital preservation, including an introduction to digitization, and will provide information on handling guidelines for digitization, selection of materials, conducting pilot projects, creating access to digitized materials, funding sources, and the benefits of collaborating with other institutions.
A second workshop, Understanding Archives: An Introduction to Archival Basics will be held on May 10, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA at Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Registration is required, and is $25 for PA institutions, $75 for out of state institutions.
Proper archival procedures enable safe and effective management of collections. Participants will learn about the fundamentals of archival appraisal, acquisition, and access; proper storage materials; and the most common preservation problems associated with paper-based archival collections. This program will touch briefly on processing, arrangement, and description. Volunteers, historians, and those with archival responsibilities in addition to other duties may find themselves in the position of “archivist” without formal training in the profession; this program offers an introduction to best practices in the field.
Carol J. Singley, professor in the Department of English at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Rutgers-Camden and MARCH Faculty Steering Committee member, has authored a new book, Adopting America: Childhood, Kinship, and National Identity in Literature (Oxford University Press). Singley’s interdisciplinary approach draws on the fields of literature, history, adoption studies, and childhood studies. She has crafted a book focused on the literary and cultural development of nonbiological kinship.
More information on Dr. Singley and Adopting America can be found below:
Rutgers Faculty & Staff Bulletin
Oxford University Press
Rutgers-Camden Scholar and Adoptive Mom Publishes New Book on Representations of Adoption in American Literature (Rutgers-Camden News)
From NJCH:
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities welcomed Dr. Sharon Ann Holt as its new Executive Director. Dr. Holt succeeds Jane Brailove Rutkoff, who retired in 2011.
Holt brings a wealth of experience to NJCH. She founded a nonprofit outreach organization Living Legacy Chautauqua and served as director of programs and outreach for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities. Dr. Holt curated an exhibit at the South Street Seaport Museum and directed publications and programs at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Before coming to NJCH, she spent three years as the executive director of Sandy Spring Museum in Maryland. In 2010, Holt received the President’s Award from the Greater Olney Civic Association for her her work at the Sandy Spring Museum.
She is the author of Making Freedom Pay: North Carolina Freedpeople Working for Themselves and the forthcoming Constructing a Modern Past: Museums, Democracy, and the 21st Century.
For more information please visit njch.org.
