In a series of occasional blog posts, participants in our Mellon Scholars Internship and Workshop programs will introduce themselves, discuss their experiences at the Library Company, and share their goals for pursuing careers in the field of early African American history. This program is generously funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
My name is JaMarcus Underwood, and I am a second-year history graduate student at North Carolina Central University. I am currently completing my master’s thesis, in which I examine the development of black education in Scotland County, North Carolina, from 1900-1970. I have always had aspirations to become someone great, but was unsure of who I would eventually grow into. Thus far in my life, I must say I am absolutely blessed with the progress I have made, but there is always more work to be done. Over the last couple of years, life has been challenging with the loss of two of the people closest to me, both my father and grandfather, causing a huge adjustment period for me.
I applied to the Mellon Scholars Internship mainly because I saw that the opportunity directly correlated with what I eventually want to do, whether it is working at a research institution or becoming a professor. I also applied because I have a very strong interest in African American history. In the future, I plan to attend a doctoral program and earn a Ph.D. in history with a certification in Museum Studies or Public History. As a highly self-motivated person committed to achieving my goals, I believed that this internship would help me present the best candidate on paper to graduate school admissions committees. After getting my Ph.D., I then want to enter either the museum sector or academia.
Overall, the time spent at the Library Company these last four weeks has been like no other opportunity I have experienced thus far. What I have enjoyed the most is the cohort of budding scholars with whom I have been able to build relationships that will carry me forward for the remainder of my life. The various forums and speakers have been particularly rewarding because it is not too often that I am able to dialogue with people that are as passionate about history as I am.
“Colored Scholars Excluded from Schools,” woodcut from American Anti-Slavery Almanac, for 1839 (New York, 1838). |
JaMarcus presenting his research findings at the capstone colloquium. |
JaMarcus Underwood
Mellon Scholars Intern, Summer 2014
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