Annie Bell Shepherd Internship: Collections Management and African American History Research

Desired Majors and Areas of Study: African American history and culture, museum studies, research experience, and strong, writing and organizational skills. Practical experience will also be considered 

Annie Bell Shepherd Internship was created to honor Annie Bell’s legacy and the history of so many who migrate and dream of a better future. Annie Bell Shepherd was born on September 12, 1912 in Mississippi during the Jim Crow era. During the Great Migration, Annie Bell moved north to pursue a better life and settled in Detroit, Michigan where she worked, became a devoted homemaker, caretaker, and education advocate. After she retired, she dedicated the rest of her life to serving her community. The Annie Bell Shepherd Internship celebrates Annie Bell’s commitment to education and provides opportunities for individuals interested in gaining curatorial experience in a museum setting. This internship resides within the Office of Collections which encompasses Acquisitions, Archives, Offices of Collections Management, and Cataloging & Digitization. These teams work together to bring in new collections, handle, preserve and care for collections; transport and store collections; make collections accessible through records management, cataloging, and digitization; manage collections rights and reproductions; and implement archive processing and access. Office of Collections staff work closely with Office of Curatorial Affairs staff to identify and manage possible acquisitions and loans. Collections staff also work hand in hand with the Office of Project Management & Planning staff to install and maintain exhibitions.

The Annie Bell Shepherd Intern will serve as research assistant for collections management activities, projects, and events. This internship is designed to introduce candidates to the intersection of collections management and museum studies, which will demonstrate how current practices and planned practices contribute to effective museum management and community engagement. Over the course of the internship, the intern will develop creativity and imagination by finding new ways to tell stories inspired by NMAAHC’s collection and research initiatives. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about audience engagement, exhibition design, and telling stories through researching museum opportunities supportive of effective museum management. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in African American history and culture, museum studies, research experience, and strong, writing and organizational skills.

The intern can anticipate practicing inquiry-based research skills; discovering specialized skills for uncovering stories of marginalized people; producing work that will have a public impact; and strengthening individual growth by making new connections, experimenting, and expanding their comfort zone.

Duties Include (but are not limited to):

• Weekly meeting/tour with various departments throughout the Museum. Meetings/tours may include administration, curatorial, conservation, development, education, exhibitions, facilities, finance, library, public affairs, security, and special events departments; and may also include external contacts e.g., Pan-Institutional connections and professional organizations.
• Support community outreach events through planning and execution of events and program review and assessment.
• Research of potential project event centered on a Collection for identification of business/corporate connections and support.
• Conduct research of identified businesses/corporations
• Complete report of findings from research
• Present research findings