The Juneau-Douglas City Museum was recently honored with an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History for its multimedia project “Juneau: Alaska’s Capital City Digital Stories Project.”
The museum began the project in 2005, as a way to encourage middle-school participation in civic government through primary source materials and oral history. Alysia Jones, curator of public programs at the museum, worked with 92 middle school students from Floyd Dryden and Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School to research, write, interview, and record digital stories to be featured in the museum’s gallery.
With assistance from teachers and support staff, Jones scheduled herself and guest presenters to teach students how to conduct primary source research and oral history interview techniques, as well as filming, recording, and editing of digital media. She also invited and scheduled community members to be interviewed and filmed by students. Final digital stories consisted of student narration, interview clips and historical photographs, and are available on touch screens in the museum’s gallery.
Topics fell under four main themes: Juneau as Alaska’s Capital, Cultures of Juneau, The Quest for Statehood, and Elizabeth Peratrovich and Civil Rights in Alaska.
Students interviewed Tlingit elders about discrimination past and present, government officials about the capital city, various community members about their cultural heritage, and other community members who were present at some of our state’s most significant moments. Sources included Albert Shaw, Rep. Andrea Doll, Angelina Matorre, Clark Gruening, Dante Reyes, Della Cheney, Dennis Egan, Ed Carrillo, Elva Bountrager, George Rogers, Jim Geraghty, Kathy Ruddy, Sen. Kim Elton, Linda Belarde, Marie Darlin, Marie Olson, Marlene Johnson, Kueni Maake, Morris Carrillo, Nancy Douglas, Patty McNeil, Ross Soboleff, Roy Peratrovich, Jr., Selina Everson, Wes Keller and Gov. Sean Parnell.
Students created 20 digital stories. Additionally, some students at Floyd Dryden created poems about statehood and civil rights, available on mp3 players at the museum and accessible through the museum website, www.juneau.org/parkrec/museum/. The museum also completed a transcription of the stories for visitors who are hearing impaired or who want more information about photos used in the stories.
The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 66th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. This year, AASLH confered 59 national awards honoring people, projects, exhibits, books, and organizations. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history.
Presentation of the awards will be made at a special banquet during the 2011 AASLH Annual Meeting in Richmond, Va., on Sept. 16.
The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also brings public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions and programs to make contributions in this arena.
For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, visit www.aaslh.org.
