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Thursday December 15, 2022

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from GW American Studies!
Have a safe and restful break!

1967 - The Beatles release "Christmas Time is Here Again".

1979 - Chris Haney and Scott Abbott develop the board game Trivial Pursuit.

2001 - The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 to fortify it, without fixing its famous lean.

The College Essay Is Dead. The Atlantic

For U.S. Museums With Looted Art, the Indiana Jones Era Is Over. New York Times

Tommy at the Eames House in Los Angeles where he worked last summer.
Image courtesy of Tommy Gartman.

For our last December 2022 newsletter, we feature Thomas Gartman, a second-year MA student in American Studies. Tommy is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. With a concentration in Museums and Material Culture, he chose GW for its opportunities to work with the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to his graduate assistantship position, Tommy interns at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in the Office of Curatorial Affairs. Tommy’s research focuses on material culture studies and public history, noting his “fascination with the way commodities gain and lose different meanings across cultures and time.” Working at the Smithsonian always brings new surprises and interesting work. An intern’s daily life might see meetings and edits with the curatorial team, reviewing design plans for the gallery space and exhibition panels, conducting research, or working on drafts of labels and script content. Tommy is currently working on an upcoming exhibition about the history of American medicine, focusing on issues related to medical waste and development of single-use plastic instruments and tools. His content research ranges from studying past patents and designs to finding studies on new eco-friendly materials and interviewing experts in the field of healthcare sustainability.

While exhibition research is Tommy’s typical work, he has noted special opportunities he’s had with the museums’ archives and “objects out of storage” events. Here, he works with experienced curators to interpret specific objects from collections that aren’t typically on display. For World AIDS Day, Tommy and the curators (which would be an excellent band name) selected objects including a panel from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a bottle of Azidothymidine (used to treat the disease), and a shirt reading “Silence=Death” to create an exhibition spreading awareness to visitors. We look forward to Tommy’s future work in the curatorial and museum field.

Samantha Silver, a current PhD student, recently presented a paper entitled “Controlling Images of Hattie Noel: Sonic Representation in Stand-up Comedy” at the American Society for Theatre Research in New Orleans, LA in November 2022.

Professor Gayle Wald received a 2022 National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars fellowship to continue work on her forthcoming monograph This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins’ Life in Music, a biography of the musician-educator, Ella Jenkins (b. 1924). In January 2023, Beacon Press will publish her book on African American guitar virtuoso Rosetta Thorpe titled Shout, Sister, Shout! in an updated second edition. The updates take readers from 2007 when Tharpe was in an unmarked grave in Philadelphia through 2018 when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and to the present moment when she is name-checked by pop stars including Lizzo, Beyoncé and Janelle Monáe.

Joseph Malherek (PhD ’15) recently had his book European Émigrés Who Made Capitalist Culture in America, 1918-1968 published by Central European University Press. Noted labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein called it "a marvelous intellectual and cultural history."

Ashley Brown (PhD ’17) will have her book Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson published by Oxford University Press in February 2023. Gibson (b.1927- d.2003) was the first African American to compete at and win Grand Slam tennis titles.

Congratulations to students in Professor Tom Guglielmo's senior seminar Interrogating GW who presented their research projects to the GW community this past Tuesday, December 13.

Call for Fellows: The Institute for Critical Social Inquiry (ICSI) at the New School for Social Research is now accepting fellowship applications for their 2023 Summer Seminars (June 11-17, 2023) // Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Call for Applications: The Newberry Library is accepting applications for their short-term fellowships // Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Call for Applications: Digital Justice Fellow, Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project: Washington College invites applications for a one-year Digital Justice Fellowship with the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience // Deadline: until position is filled.

Call for Papers: The James A. Barnes Club, Temple University's graduate student history organization, is pleased to announce the 28th Annual Barnes Club Graduate Student History Conference. To submit, send a 250-word abstract that outlines your original research or project and a current CV // Deadline: January 6, 2023

Call for Applications: Rising Scholars Postdoctoral Fellowship Program sponsored by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Mellon Foundation. Includes a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in race, justice, and equity // Deadline: January 16, 2023.

Call for Papers: 2023 Lauren Berlant Graduate Student Conference. “Power over Life and Death: Feminism, Abolition, and the State” conference to be held in Spring 2023. To submit, send a 250-word abstract and CV // Deadline: February 3, 2023.

Need Support?

Student Question:
What are some holiday activities I can check out? 
DC offers many fun things to do to get you in that holiday spirit. Check out some activities here. 

Staff/Faculty Question:
I need to schedule a COVID-19 test.
Where can I book an appointment?
You can book a COVID-19 test anytime using the link here. Login using your UserID credentials and select “Book an Appointment.” The MyCHC portal is where you can also view your test results, or upload new vaccination information.

Like what you see? Have spotlights, kudos, events, or opportunities that you would like to share? We want to hear from you! Navigate to our feedback form using the link below, or more simply, forward your tip to amst@gwu.edu.