Haitian and African American Connections Project Assistant Internship (July 15, 2022)
Virtual/Remote Position
Part-time: 24 hours per week
Dates: Sept 12 – Dec 16, 2022
Stipend offered
Application deadline: July 15, 2022
The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. One of its foundational pillars is to help all Americans see how their stories, their histories, and their cultures are shaped and informed by global influences. One sphere of global influence is the long established and deeply rooted artistic and cultural intersections between Black Americans and Haitians. The museum has an interest in developing a project that explores these connections and is offering an internship in association with the planning of this initiative. Rooted in the models set by the cultural exchanges and artistic productions that emerged out of the Harlem Renaissance period in the United States and the indigenism period in Haiti, this initiative will consider where these connections exist today and the synergies that historically and contemporaneously allow them to flourish and be sustained. The initiative will draw from a wide cross-section of artistic genres including music, literature, fashion, art, foodways, museum curation, and more.
The HCAC intern will work directly with Dr. Joanne Hyppolite, the Supervisory Museum Curator of the African Diaspora with the goal of deepening their knowledge of this topic and developing and refining content research skills. They will be given the opportunity to learn program/project development at its conceptual stages. By the end of the internship, they will have gained an understanding of curatorial research processes and museum-specific program development practices. They will also have employed and advanced core critical thinking skills as it applies to audience centered projects.
Requirements:
- Enrollment in or completion of a Masters in African American, African Diaspora, Caribbean or Haitian studies
- Evidence of strong research and writing skills
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Proficiency in French or Haitian Creole is preferred
- Research the history of African American and Haitian cultural intersections • Research contemporary influencers of Haitian descent across multi-disciplinary arts
- Develop and refine a list of scholarly and community advisors
- Assist in the execution of an advisory committee meeting
- Assist with the development of a conceptual framework for the project
Application Instructions are available on the following pages.
- Internship Application Process | National Museum of African American History and Culture (si.edu)
- Internships & Fellowships | National Museum of African American History and Culture (si.edu)
Application deadline: July 15, 2022