The Emmett Till Archives at Florida State University Libraries consists of primary and secondary source material related to the life, murder, and memory of Emmett Louis Till. Florida State University Libraries partners with the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, the Emmett Till Memory Project, and other institutions and private donors to collect, preserve, and provide access to the ongoing story of Emmett Till. The Till Archives includes newspapers, magazines, oral histories, photographs, government records, scholarly literature, creative works, and other materials documenting the Till case and its commemoration, memorialization, and discussion in scholarship and popular culture.
In recognition of the growing research interest in the Till collections, FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives (SCA) has hired two Emmett Till Archives interns for Spring 2021, from among dozens of applicants, to assist in the collection, preservation, arrangement, description, and promotion of the Till Archives collections. During the University COVID-19 response, the internship will focus on improving the online resources of the Till Archives. The internship is made possible by support from the Florida State University Foundation and the Emmett Till Interpretive Center.
Julianna Morgan is a second year junior majoring in Criminology & History at FSU.
Why were you interested in applying for a position as a Till intern?
The Emmett Till Archives Intern position quickly grabbed my attention because as a history major I understand the importance and complexity of working with archives and archival work is something I wanted to explore even though I knew little about it. The most important aspect was knowing I would get a chance to work with archives that contribute to the story of Emmett Till, a young man that sparked a huge change in America and the history of my own people.
What new skills have you learned or are hoping to learn?
So far I have learned the important information to look for when analyzing archives and I have slowly been learning how to write archival descriptions correctly. I am hoping to learn how to speak eloquently about the archives and be able to help others understand the archives when viewing them.
What do you hope to accomplish in your position?
I want to accomplish creating even better archival descriptions with this position and I hope to bring along new information to contribute to the collection. I also want to participate in and facilitate a creative project with the Emmett Till Archives.
Linney Osias has a BA in English from Florida A&M University.
Why were you interested in applying for a position as a Till intern?
I am interested in everything Africana history and that includes the story of Emmett Till. Understanding the impact it has on the current civil rights issues is what pushed my desire to intern with the Till Archives.
What new skills have you learned or are hoping to learn?
I am hoping to enhance my research and writing skills as I plan on one day creating documents which can be used for research too.
What do you hope to accomplish in your position?
I hope to create a better sense of community by using and sharing the resources obtained through the archives. This will allow me to connect the struggles activists faced during the Civil Rights Movement to what I am battling with as a Black Womxn in American society.
Be on the lookout for more posts involving our Till interns, Julianna and Linney.
Illuminations 