Research Paper
This 7-10 page analytical original research paper must discuss an aspect of African urban history. Essays should have a clear argument and utilize primary and secondary sources. Examples of topics include:
-The problematic nature of trash management in urban Goma in the late twentieth century.
-The ways in which the second-hand clothing trade influenced youth cultures in Dar es Salaam in the 1960s.
-The connections between local music halls and race relations in Praia.
Exhibit Proposal
1. Title
2. Select and justify a location for your prospective exhibit (Smithsonian Air and Space, The Schomburg Center, etc)
3. Proposal (500 words): Outline in detail the exhibition's purpose, what it aims to achieve, what the exhibit will focus on, why this is necessary, who the prospective audience is.
4. Consultants: Select 4-6 consultants (i.e. scholars who have written on the topic) and provide a 50-100 word blurb for each providing justification for their involvement in the project. Think carefully about scholars who have written monographs/articles on the topic.
5. Exhibition Contents: Select 5-7 unique pieces from a range of mediums (i.e. film, photographs, art, newspaper articles, clothing, pottery, etc.). Provide a 150 word blurb about each item that could be placed next to the piece in the exhibit. You should provide a citation for the piece, explain its meaning, and discuss its relevance in the larger collection.
6. Create a mock-up for publicity (use images, title, etc.)
7. Utilize Black Studies Center, The New York Times, Chicago Defender, The London Times, NYPL Prints and Photos database (https://wallachprintsandphotos.nypl.org/), the Schomburg website, the University of Texas map collection (https://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/), Project Gutenberg, and whatever else you find interesting.