BMRC partnering with Northwestern University's Center for Civic Engagement

June 6, 2021

Chicago from South Side

Through Northwestern University's Racial Equity and Community Partnerships grant program, the BMRC and CCE will fund 9-12 month graduate assistantships at BMRC member institutions. Read on to learn more!

Supporting Chicago’s Black Archives: Black Metropolis Graduate Assistantships

Northwestern’s Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) and the Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC) are collaborating to create a new program to support Chicagoland’s Black archives by embedding a small, select cohort of NU PhD students within BMRC member institutions each year. Through 9-12 month graduate assistantships at a BMRC-affiliated museum, library, archive, or community organization, each fellow will perform work determined by their host organization that (1) documents, preserves, interprets, and/or promotes the use of Black historical collections, and/or (2) advances equity & access in institutional practices & policies. With increased capacity and funding support, BMRC institutions will be able to implement new projects that amplify and increase access to Black stories & histories. Prospective projects include processing & digitizing new collections, promoting community access through public programs, designing inclusive K-12 curriculum, and supporting Black Chicagoans in researching and preserving family legacies.

We're excited to begin this partnership and will share more as it develops. For more on the Black Metropolis Graduate Assistantships, click here.