Mapping the Past
Maps are some of the most engaging primary sources, but they are also important tools that public historians, historic preservationists, and digital humanists can create to foster new perspectives, alter the ways we look at the past, and effectively plan for the future. Below are a few trial maps and map-based applications that I developed through various projects.
African American Funeral Homes and Service in the Community
My thesis research on African American funeral homes in Tennessee introduced me to the Tennessee Death Records (1908-1958) digital database through the state archives and the potential for understanding who and where funeral professionals were serving within their communities. Death records provided the names of the funeral professional in charge of handling the body as well as the deceased's place of residence denoted by either a town address or the nearest incorporated community.
The two maps reflect a selection of death records from Columbia and Murfreesboro during the 1930s to 1950s. Once mapped, these records immediately show the segregated landscape of southern communities. The distribution of services also revealed that some funeral homes served certain African American neighborhoods. For example, the Hellum family moved their funeral home next to Holloway High School after a majority of their customers stemmed from that part of Murfreesboro. The locations of the funeral homes themselves also reveals their role as border structures between the white and black communities.
Assessing the Reconstruction Landscape of Tennessee
Through a summer position with MTSU's Center for Historic Preservation and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area I had the great opportunity to experiment with ways in which we can publically present and interpret the digital content of Southern Places and Trials and Triumphs. I used the ESRI Story Maps application, which combines GIS mapping capabilities and a user-friendly interface to connect with online narratives, images, and videos. I chose to focus on the creation and success of the African American education efforts in Rogersville, Tennessee. Feel free to check out the application included to the right or to explore the full version here. You can read more about this StoryMap from a blog post I wrote in January 2016.
Union Square Walking Tour in Somerville, MA
During my Preservation Planner Internship with the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, I have adapted a walking tour of Union Square into the Story Maps application in order to enhance the user experience from a physical packet of papers or a digital PDF. The application guides users through the streets of Somerville, while simultaneously connecting them to extra material online about particular properties. The online format of the tour also allows for individuals or groups who cannot physically follow the path to explore the historic layers of the city's oldest square on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Feel free to check out the application included to the right or to explore the full version here.