One of the things I hope to do this year is to talk to students about public history. How do we represent the past to people in the present? How do we find a job with a history major? What kinds of opportunities are out there? These are all questions we should talk about.
I’m going to start this conversation by talking about one of the public history projects I’ve been involved with. For the past three years before coming to Wooster, I taught at Southwestern University. A liberal arts school in Georgetown, Texas, I had students very similar to you. I became involved in the local community there and looked to make a difference as a historian. The school received a grant for students and faculty to do collaborative projects on the local river trail. I found out about a flood that ravaged the area in 1921.
About 100 people died in the area during the flood. But the history previously told about this event totally excluded the people who suffered the most: Mexican migrants. Around 70 of the dead were Mexicans who picked cotton for the region’s farmers. These farmers often didn’t provide their workers with housing, so the pickers were forced to live in tents along the river. The rains came, the water rose, and they washed away.
I hired two students to work with me on this project. One student helped me with the translations of Spanish-language newspapers. Another designed the sign (he’s in the picture). It is the first bilingual historical marker in the county and probably one of the first in the state of Texas.
I’m writing about this two reasons. First, it’s a great example of how you can work with your professors on creative projects that will help build your resume. Second, it goes to show how you can use historical knowledge to make a difference in your local community.
Throughout the year, I hope to talk to you more about public history and maybe even bring some public historians to campus to talk to you about the amazing opportunities you have with your history degree.