Public History Controversies
Common Assignment Essay Instructions Objective of this Assignment: Due by 11:59pm on Dec. 29. Instructions: Students will follow the process outlined below to guide them in the development of a comparative essay. The essay should be approximately 500-800 words, and should include footnotes. ? Step One: See the big picture. Begin your research with the following research objectives in mind: 1. Consider why historians disagree about the significance and purpose of memorials/monuments. For example, are monuments considered works of art and protected by the first amendment or they considered public history and required to uphold certain standards? 2. Identify potential solutions to existing public history controversies. Your essay should explain which solution has worked well for one particular city/display site, and then contrast this example with one solution that has not worked well in another city/display site. 3. Offer your research-based opinion regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the source that left the greatest impression with you. Did you find this source credible? Well-researched? Objective? Solution-oriented? While you may think this is the best source, are there any drawbacks or flaws in this particular source, and if so, what? ? Step Two: Begin Research. Read and Compare the following MANDATORY scholarly viewpoints listed here. You should utilize a minimum of four sources listed below. 1. Convenient & Inconvenient Monuments, by Gene Dattel in Literary Reference Center (EBSCO) 2. Government Controls Donated Park Monument Message, by James Kozlowski (EBSCO) 3. What is a Monument to Massasoit Doing in Kansas City? The Memory Work of Monuments and Place in Public Displays of History, by Jean OBrien and Lisa Blee (EBSCO) 4. Exploring African American, Latino, and Asian Motivations to Visit a Heritage Site: A Case Study of George Washington Carver National Monument, by Le, Lena, Sandra De Urioste-Stone, and Nancy C. Holmes (EBSCO) 5. Statement on Confederate Monuments https://www.historians.org/news-and-advocacy/aha- advocacy/aha-statement-on-confederate-monuments 6. General Zaragoza State Historic Site: state-historic-site#:~:text=Zaragoza.,Parks%20Board%20in%20September%201961 7. Are Museums the Right Home for Confederate Monuments 180968969/ ? Formatting and Organization: The essay must be typed and follow college writing standards, e.g. no fragments, use appropriate grammar, develop an introductory statement and provide a conclusion, etc. No title page necessary. Your font should be either 11 or 12 pt. Your spacing should 1.15 or 1.5 and margins should be reasonable. Do not use texting language. Spell out numbers. Your sources (5 mandatory + 2 your choice = minimum of seven sources) should be both footnoted and included in a works cited section at the end of your essay. A footnote should exist at the end of a sentence Step Three: Find additional supporting sources. Find two credible supporting sources related to solutions. There are more solutions than those mentioned in the above articles. Many cities have already started addressing the controversy with local laws, funding projects, innovative plans for recontextualizing the public space. You should comment on the quality of the solution, which might mean highlighting errors in thinking, weaknesses in strategy, or studying the public reaction to the solution. ONLY when a quote has been included in the sentence, otherwise, the footnote should exist at the end of the paragraph. Any acronyms or data that need to be further clarified may also be included in the footnote. See the screenshots and tips file for more assistance. Sources should be provided in Chicago Style format. Purdue is a useful online site to assist with formatting citations.
