Professional Field Experience
Collections Management Internship at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel
I spent the summer of 2022 working as a intern in the collections department of the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, which provided me with hands-on experience working in a museum collections area. My daily tasks at the Lorraine Motel involved the scanning of historic photographs, usage of PastPerfect software, exhibit humidity/temperature checks, and attendance at staff meetings. I was also involved in projects that involved the accessioning of large objects, measurement of museum statues for accessibility purposes, and the inventorying of replica items within exhibits. My time at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel provided me with invaluable professional experience while also allowing me the opportunity to work at a location with profound historic and cultural importance.
The Lone Rock Stockade Archaeological Excavation
In the fall of 2023, I took part in a 6-week archaeological excavation of the Lone Rock Stockade and mine located near Tracy City, TN. Beginning in the 1870s, the Tennessee Iron & Coal Company used extremely cheap prison labor to mine coal and convert it into coke throughout Tennessee, leading to the creation of the Lone Rock Stockade near Tracy City which housed hundreds of inmates until the prison leasing system ended in Tennessee ended in the 1890s. This project not only involved the excavation of an archaeological unit, but also provided me with experience working with satellite mapping technology. The field course was followed by a laboratory section which involved the washing and analyzation of artifacts found in the field, eventually resulting in a report which will be added to the site report.