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Job Requisition: Mapping Internship 

 

Position: Mapping Intern

 

Duration: 3 Months - Summer 2024

 

Location: Philadelphia, PA

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About Us:

 

The 1838 Black Metropolis project is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich history of Philadelphia's Black community during the antebellum period. Through meticulous research, innovative digital mapping techniques, and community engagement initiatives, we aim to restore, rewrite, and reclaim narratives that have been overlooked or marginalized.  We have been awarded by The Library Company, The Preservation Alliance and others for our ability to bring history to life. 

 

Position Overview:

 

We are seeking a highly motivated undergraduate student to join our team as a Digital Mapping and Visualization Intern. The intern will play a crucial role in solidifying the accuracy of mapping data from the 1838 Pennsylvania Abolition Society Census, contributing to the creation of a comprehensive digital representation of the Black Metropolis. This is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in historical research, data analysis, and digital mapping techniques while making a meaningful impact on the preservation of Philadelphia's cultural heritage.

 

Please refer to the current map at https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/map to understand the current level of detail and mapping technology used. 

 

What we are looking for:

 

We are looking to create a mapping visualization that people will love to use.   It should be interactive and historically accurate.  We would love for it to have elements of realistic fly throughs of key intersections, similar to what one would see in a game. We really want people to love learning history and visualization is absolutely key to making this happen.  

 

At the same time, historical accuracy is also very important to us.  So we need someone who is comfortable with reading old maps, and creating tabular data for import into mapping tools.

 

So this is creative work and highly detailed work at the same time.  You’ll have some creative flexibility to bring your ideas to the table. And if you’d like, we’ll give you our platform to let the world know what you’ve done.  We’ll post to our website and socials and explore ways that we can let the community know your work. 

 

We know you are out there!  Apply even if you don’t have all the skills we are asking for. We appreciate passion and love for history so hit us up and let us know who you are.  

 

In exchange for all the great skills you bring to this effort we allow you to work whenever you want wherever you want.  Sometimes the best ideas pop up at 3am and that’s cool with us. 

 

In general, here’s what you’ll be doing. 

 

  • Collaborate with project leaders to verify and refine mapping data from the 1838 Census of the Black Population of Philadelphia.  Read more here https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/1838-pas-census

  • Utilize mapping and archival resources to accurately place population data and 19th Century Black institutions in the correct physical location on digital maps/visualizations.

  • Incorporate sociological data, including church affiliations and beneficial societies, into mapping layers.

  • Assist in the development of educational resources and public engagement initiatives.


 

Qualifications:

 

  • Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student in Urban Planning, History, Black Studies, Geography, or related field.

  • Strong research skills, with experience in archival research preferred.

  • Experience withGIS software (ArcGIS, QGIS) and architectural data visualization tools (SketchUP) is desirable.

  • Excellent communication and organizational skills.

  • Ability to work from home with high speed internet and computer that has the capacity for ArcGIS.

 

Compensation:

 

  • This is a paid internship at $15/hour.

  • Flexible Hours

  • Work Remotely

 

How to Apply:

 

Send an email to Michiko and Morgan at connect@1838blackmetropolis.com.  We want to know who you are and why you’d like to work on this project.   We are looking for a unique combination of attention to detail, technical skills, and interest in Black history in Philadelphia. 

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