HIST 4337 Digital Humanities Project
Our class will create a digital database documenting women's activism in South Texas. Consisting of an interactive online platform featuring archival materials, short essays, teaching questions, and interactive timelines, this project will uncover and amplify the often-overlooked contributions of women in shaping social and political movements in the region. Groups will research the following topics:
- 1959 Tex-Son Strike (San Antonio)
- 1938 Pecan Shellers Strike (San Antonio)
- 1972 Farah Strike (El Paso)
- 1970s Farmworker Movement (Rio Grande Valley)
1. Primary Source Portion
You will need to research and find 8-10 primary sources that help you understand the event. At least 2 (but no more than 4) must be photographs/images.
2. Written Portion
•ABSTRACT is a 50-to 80-word summary of your topic.
•INTRODUCTION with endnotes (1,000-1,200 words, not including endnotes). It should briefly touch on historiography to show how your question connects with existing historical knowledge. As you lay out your argument, refer readers to particular documents using this format. In your introduction, please try to refer to most or all the documents in your collection. The introduction should approach the quality of an essay that you would write for an upper-division history class, but the level of communication should be crafted to reach a broader audience. It may need to provide a little more context than you are accustomed to. Your audience will include high school and undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines. Please provide adequate endnotes with your introduction. Engage with your secondary sources in the same way you would for an upper-division history essay.
•Prepare a BIBLIOGRAPHY of related secondary sources that you cite in the project or that you want to recommend to readers. Don’t cut and paste text from the Internet to construct your bibliography. Too often this text cannot be manipulated properly and must be re-keyed. See the History Area Style Guide on Canvas for guidance.
3. Timeline Portion
For this piece, you will create a learning-focused digital exhibition using TimelineJS, an open-source web platform for creating digital timelines with embedded media. The general format of a timeline slide includes a piece of media (audio, video, or an image), text (which could be an item label or a page of the story, depending on the situation), and a date / time. The materials in the slide are fed into the tool through a Google Sheet. Your timeline must include the following (see the rubric for more information).
- 15-20 points of time (slides in your timeline)
- Most slides should include a piece of media (image, audio, or video)
Please note: the timeline you create will be publicly accessible to anyone with your Google Sheet link. While identifying information is not visible on the finished timeline, you’re welcome to create a throwaway Google account so it’s not tied to your personal or TAMU-CC account.
Tips & tricks
- Pick stories that have a strong chronological narrative. It does not work well for stories that need to jump around in the timeline.
- Write each event as a part of a larger narrative.
- Include events that build up to major occurrences — not just the major events.
A few examples to see the TimelineJS format:
Headline and Text Requirements
Entries should catalog important events throughout history related to your topic. Each entry should have a Headline (title) that quickly and succinctly summarizes the event. The *Text* area is the most important part of your entry. The entry text is like a blog post; it should be at least 250-300 words, written in complete sentences, with no typos.
Use your own words to describe the entry/event. The entries should not include quotes, and you SHOULD NOT copy text from other sources. You should reference the readings and articles from class and use other sources to gather and present information about your topic. Link to the source(s) for each entry in the “Media Caption” column for that entry.
4. Teaching Portion:
3-5 questions designed to prompt deep analysis of the event and primary sources, based on:
- content and meanings
- deepening or broadening understanding of the historical era; and
- furthering understanding of essential questions or issues in women’s history.