Week 5
Three themes: Individual project
● One of the themes I plan to address in my project is gender and diplomacy. The letters written between the women of New Stockbridge and Quaker Women set the scene for strengthening the relationship between these two communities while also campaigning for young Stockbridge women’s educational opportunity. On both sides of this correspondence, women were building the social foundation for diplomatic interaction and exchange.
● The second theme I will be looking at is continuity. I plan to review these letters through the lens of community health and cultural sustenance. One actor whom I plan to focus on is Ester (Eshter or Esther) Littleman, a Stockbridge woman mentioned in one letter and co-author of another to the Quaker women of Philadelphia. In a secondary source I will be using entitled “Caring for Our Affairs Ourselves” by Kallie Kosc, Ester is identified to be the only person left of the reservation in the 1790s who could weave cloth and she was not able to keep up with the needs of her community. Women were campaigning for their daughter’s education not only for the strengthening of support from the Quakers but also to acquire skills like sewing to bring back to their community. Ester was mentioned in a letter as someone who “desired to join.” I have not been able to find much mention of Ester elsewhere, but I hope to call attention to her position as a young practitioner and caretaker in her community to address what material and cultural benefits women would have sought through this relationship to the Quakers.
● The third theme I hope to address is the connections between religion, identity, and access. Throughout these letters, both men and women from New Stockbridge refer to themselves as “sinners” or “poor Indians/women in the wilderness”. Parsing out this language in the context of religious assimilation and communal efforts toward continuity, I am hoping to look into the encoding of these letters. What this language achieves in terms of educational opportunity and material support for their community and how it might engage the psyches of Quaker missionaries, potentially playing into mythogloies such as the “noble savage” to garner access and build networks of support.
Week 2: The Rosenbach Museum and Library
The Rosenbach Museum and Library
Location
2008-2010 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Hours
Monday - Wednesday: Closed
Thursday - Saturday: 10:30am - 6:00pm
Sunday: 10:30am - 4:30pm
Research hours
Appointments are available on Thursdays and Fridays from 9:15 am to 12:30 pm and 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm. When requesting an appointment researchers must indicate preference of start date and time and work with staff to confirm the appointment and finalize requested materials in advance.
Contact
General contact information:
Email - info@rosenbach.org
Phone - 215-732-1600
To make a research appointment locate the “Research” drop down menu and select “Make a research Appointment”. This will direct you to ll out a form with your contact information, the time (between 9:15am to 4:30pm on Thursdays or Fridays) of your appointment, the details of your research, your plans for publication, and the materials you will be requesting.
Librarian
Elizabeth E. Fuller
eefuller@rosenbach.org
Reproduction
The Rosenbach Museum and Library does not own the copyright to the materials in their collections in most cases. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify the copyright status of the research materials and apply for permission to publish or reproduce content. The Rosenbach is not responsible for permissions to publish or reproduce materials.
Laptop and Camera Use
Researchers are able to take their own digital photos of materials at no charge by ling out a form and consulting sta, however, scans and photographs can be made by the Rosenbach for a fee at the discretion of collections sta. “The Rosenbach reserves the right to judge the appropriate method of reproduction of materials in its collections and to determine what constitutes a reasonable image request.” There is a form available on their website to request digital photos, but photos produced by the Museum and Library do not constitute permission to quote, publish, or reproduce materials. The “Reading Room” allows for use of personal computers, typewriters, and voice recorders. The use of ash photography, tripods, and outside scanning equipment is not permitted.
Finding aids
Collections guides and nding aids can be located through the “Research” dropdown menu under “Catalogues, Databases, & Guides.” Some portions of the collection are digitized and can be found under this tab as well.
Strengths and Significance
I was able to nd the Rosenbach Museum and Library through ArchiveGrid. I selected this repository for this blog post because its collections were identified as strong in manuscript and printed American history. They are known for their ne and decorative arts collections as well and include rare books and
photographs. They are particularly strong in their collection of print materials as well as sculpture, paintings, and furniture. What our cohort might nd particularly helpful is their “Americana” collection which centers around European settlement and exploration and political and military history of the US from settlement through the Civil War.
Hopes & Gifts
It all begins with an idea.
I hope to bring my ability to listen and foster an environment that respects each of our expertise and ideas, and to share my previous experience in archival collections supported by the teachings I have received from my mentors in engaging in relevant and resonant research. The gifts I bring are those imparted to me by my mentors, friends, and family that I plan to carry on through this internship and forward into my life and career: offering time, compassion, and support. With those gifts comes my obligation to reciprocate the care that has been generously afforded to me; knowledge shared is knowledge I am beholden to. I understand that my position as a non-indigenous participant in this program is to ensure that I proceed as a guest and accomplice. Through this experience I hope to improve my ability to disseminate the results of my research and ensure my work services the communities I am responsible to. I hope to build supportive relationships within our cohort as well as develop professional connections in the Philadelphia area. And I hope to expand my research methodologies and explore collaborative citational practice. To aid my learning journey here I would love any recommendations for databases to begin my research!