The Margaret B. Richardson Education Summer Fellowship
The HistoryMakers is pleased to announce The Margaret B. Richardson Education Summer
Fellowship, in honor of the mother of The HistoryMakers founder and executive director,
Julieanna Richardson. Margaret Richardson has been an indispensable asset to The
HistoryMakers project, and a stalwart supporter from the beginning. The Margaret B.
Richardson Education Summer Fellow should exhibit a passion and commitment to education,
just as ‘Mrs. R’ (an educator in her own right) has displayed day after day.
The purpose of The Margaret B. Richardson Education Summer Fellowship is to provide a tenweek summer opportunity to students interested in pairing historical research with education
through K-12 programming. The Margaret B. Richardson Education Summer Fellowship is open
to undergraduate students in their junior or senior years of a four-year accredited university;
majoring in education, history, African American studies, or a humanities related field. Further
application eligibility and guidelines below.
The HistoryMakers is a growing and dynamic 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to
creating an unprecedented national video oral history archival institution recording the stories of
both well-known and unsung African American HistoryMakers. The goal is to record at least
5,000 oral history interviews and to expose this material to the public through strategic media,
technology, academic and community partnerships. In June 2014, the nation’s foremost
repository—the Library of Congress—announced that it will serve as the permanent repository
of The HistoryMakers collection.
STIPEND: $5,000.00
FELLOWSHIP DURATION:
10 weeks – (Monday, June 1, 2015 - Friday, August 7, 2015)
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Fellows will make extensive use of research, writing, and presentation skills throughout the
duration of their fellowship. Fellows will also play a significant role in the planning, facilitation,
and execution of the annual Back To School With The HistoryMakers program, a nationwide K12 educational programming event. During their tenure at The HistoryMakers, the Fellow will
develop a plan for connecting higher education to The HistoryMakers existing K-12
programming. Fellows will work closely with The HistoryMakers team in developing new ideas
and strategies for promoting The HistoryMakers unique Digital Archive to educators,
researchers, and students. Fellows will be responsible for training and instruction on the use and
applications of the Digital Archive for the above-mentioned groups, in support of The
HistoryMakers Digital Literacy Initiative. Preliminary interview research into the backgrounds
and lives of potential HistoryMakers will also constitute part of the Fellow’s workload.
ELIGIBILITY
The requirements for consideration are:
1. Citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
2. Demonstrated interest in education, history, African American studies, or a humanities
related field. This interest can be demonstrated through academic coursework, volunteer
or work experience, or through a personal statement in application essay.
3. Demonstrated interest in archive administration and management.
4. GPA of 3.50 or higher
LODGING
Lodging arrangements are the responsibility of the fellow. Applicants will be provided with
information on local housing options upon acceptance as The Margaret B. Richardson Education
Summer Fellow.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Submit the following for consideration:
1. Cover letter stating your interest in the fellowship and your future career goals (please
include an email address and a daytime telephone number).
2. Essay or written statement (750 - 1,000 words) addressing one or all of the following:
o your interest in education and educational programming;
o your interest in African American history and archival collections; and/or,
o the importance of this fellowship to your future career.
3. Resume or CV indicating your academic background, work experience, and volunteer
service.
4. Undergraduate transcript. Also include a printout of classes in which you are currently
enrolled, if applicable.
5. Three letters of recommendation.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Friday, April 10, 2015
Submit application material to:
The Margaret B. Richardson Education Summer Fellowship
The HistoryMakers
1900 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60616
For further information contact The HistoryMakers at: [email protected]