Marketing Internship

NOTE: Applications submitted through Handshake will NOT be considered.

Desired Majors and Areas of Study: African American Studies, History, Drama & Theatre Arts, Communication & Media Studies, Journalism, Sociology, Museum Studies, Documentary/Film, Radio, Television, Media, Anthropology, Creative Writing, Cultural & Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy/Ethics, Visual & Performing Arts, Liberal Arts

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is dedicated to documenting and celebrating African American history and culture. Located in Washington, DC we are the only national museum that tells the American story through the African American lens. The museum amplifies voices too often marginalized or silenced—and uplifts the African American experience of hope and resiliency, of struggle and pain, of triumph and joy. One of the Museum’s most powerful tools for giving voice to the African American experience is our Oral History Initiative, which is dedicated to documenting, interpreting, and preserving the African American experience through the medium of oral history. 

The Oral History Intern will support the Oral History Initiative at the NMAAHC. The intern will be trained by the oral history initiative coordinator to conduct research, prepare questions, create logs, review transcripts, and write field notes. The intern shall possess a background in the study of African American history and culture. A background in oral history is not required as training will be provided. This internship is designed to provide an introduction to professional oral history work in a museum setting, and the intern will develop their verbal, written, and professional skills. Each assigned duty will help with the development of skills needed to succeed in a museum setting. The coordinator of the Oral History program will mentor the intern in maintaining records, conducting background research for interviews, completing required documentation and conducting interviews. The Oral History Intern will also be able to observe how oral history projects are carried out from conception to implementation, including research, developing questions, contacting interviewees, gathering metadata, and writing field notes and interview descriptions.

Duties shall include:

• Create research packets for upcoming interviews
• Review transcripts and captions
• Create logs of completed interviews
• Write interview descriptions for cataloging
• Prepare justification for collections process and make presentation at collections committee