Collections and Preservation Summer Internship at Weeksville Heritage Center
About:
Weeksville Heritage Center (WHC) is a historic site and cultural center in Central Brooklyn that uses education, the arts, and a social justice lens to preserve, document and inspire engagement with the history of Weeksville, one of the largest free Black communities in pre-Civil War America. The Hunterfly Road Houses sit on one of the only historical African-American sites in the Northeast located on its original property. They are the core of Weeksville’s 9,000-item collection that also includes print books, multi-format archival materials, and archaeological objects documenting life in the Weeksville settlement circa 1900 to 1930, as well as the vibrant history of the African Diaspora in Brooklyn.
Weeksville Heritage Center is seeking two (2) students (graduate or undergraduate) for paid internship positions to support historic preservation and collections management and development work. Under the supervision of the Collections Manager and Preservation Manager, student assistants will support a grant-funded project for the ongoing preservation and maintenance of the historic houses and their contents, and care of WHC library and archival collections.
Responsibilities:
- Support the adoption of the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software for the buildings’ general maintenance, housekeeping, environmental monitoring, and integrated pest management (IPM) at the historic houses.
- Conduct inventory, cataloging, and documenting of objects/artifacts/art in preparation for moving.
- Assist with organization of the onsite 5th of July Resource Center for Self-Determination & Freedom.
- Assist with the relocation of portions of the WHC library and archival collections to an off-site storage facility.Students pursuing careers in Library Science, Archives, Museum Studies, Historic Preservation, and Architecture are encouraged to apply. Preferred applicants will have completed introductory coursework in these fields. Applicants should have excellent organizational and communication skills and be comfortable working independently. Applicants should be able to bend, stoop, lift 40 lbs. occasionally and 25 lbs. frequently and independently, and climb stairs and ladders. An interest in Brooklyn and New York City history, familiarity with African-American history, and experience working within a non-profit setting are appreciated.
- Qualifications:
Internship Timeline:
Start Date June 07, 2022 End Date August 26, 2022
Compensation: $25 per hour for approximately 10 hours per week.
How to Apply:
Please submit a resume and cover letter to: research@weeksvillesociety.org and list Collections and Preservation Summer Internship in the subject line. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Weeksville Heritage Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All candidates for employment are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, physical disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law. Candidates from underrepresented groups in arts and culture administration are especially encouraged to apply, including those who identify as Black, brown, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and disabled.