For this project we will compile a series of studies on particular objects that have some significance to the history of voting and elections in New Paltz (or our region) and are drawn from the collections at Historic Huguenot Street.

With the help of Louise and Beth at Historic Huguenot Street, I have compiled this list of possible objects that you can choose from. If you have another idea that you would me to consider, please reach out by email and let me know!

Here are some important deadlines for the project: Friday October 18th: email Prof. Mulready to identify your top two objects that you would like to work on. You should expect to have your topic finalized in consultation with Prof. Mulready by Tuesday, October 22nd. From October 22-Nov. 1 you will be doing independent research on your chosen item (see below). 

Friday, Nov. 1st: post, by the start of class, a draft (with images) of your post to our course blog. Final revisions to the project will be due by Nov. 5th.

Guidelines for Writing Your Object Entries You should think of yourself as a curator for a digital museum who is presenting your object to an educated audience. Each of your entries should include the following information: Image Use the highest quality photograph of the object that you have, either from your own image collection or from our collaborative archive. If you don’t have a good image, follow up with the owner of the object and get one. Caption Include with your image a 50-60 word caption or label that gives a description of your object but also entices your reader/viewer to read more about it. This is more difficult than it sounds! Take a look at this tutorial on label writing from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London for some helpful guidelines. Physical Description of the Object (100-150 words) Refer to our work earlier in the term on object descriptions. Be as specific as possible, and especially offer details that might not be readily apparent from the image. Provenance (about 100 words) State what you know about the object’s ownership. How did it come to be in the collection where it now resides? Can you establish a chain of ownership for the item? Narrative Write a narrative of roughly 500-800 words that answers the question: “What significance does this object have to  do with the history of elections, democracy, and voting in New Paltz and/or America?” Try to be as engaging as possible in your narrative, and include materials from your primary source research that fill out the story of your object. For some models, have a look at the essays included in the History of the World in 100 Objects collection. References Include a list of the references you used for the project, presented in MLA format. You should incorporate at least one primary source into your research on the object (more is better).

Performing Research This research project is likely to be different from any you have undertaken before. You probably won’t be able to find all the information you need to complete the work with a Google search (although that isn’t a bad place to start). In addition to using resources available on the web or from our campus library, you must also integrate at least one additional archival source (this may be digital or found in the physical archives listed below).

1. Once you have finalized your object, I recommend that you contact Louise McGoldrick (louise@huguenotstreet.org) or Beth Patkus (beth@huguenotstreet.org) to find out what information they have on the object’s ownership history or other documentation on it (please see the template emails in Object Studies for guidance on these emails!).

2. Use the information and clues you receive from the object to find out what you can about its history You should consult with one of our research librarians at the Sojourner Truth Library to find out more about how your object relates to election laws, voting practices, and other historical information related to your object.

3. Depending on your object, you may also want to do in-person research on your object at Historic Huguenot Street or the Elting Library’s Haviland-Heidgerd Collection. Prof. Mulready will offer suggestions to you, but you should also reach out to the librarians and professional staff at these libraries AHEAD OF TIME for guidance on your topics or to make an appointment. In addition to the staff listed above, you may also reach out to Carol Johnson at the Elting Library Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection: havilandheidgerd@yahoo.com