An Alabama nonprofit that locates, collects, researches and creates community-based, educational programming around LGBTQ+ history in the Deep South is now accepting interns submissions. The Invisible Histories Project (IHP) is based in Birmingham.
The organization is preserving and archiving queer stories, memorabilia, newspapers, newsletters, other publications and many more items in Mississippi, Georgia, and the Florida panhandle, along with the Yellowhammer State. Applications are currently open for the group’s 2024 summer and fall internships.
“We're looking at expanding our internship projects. We're going to have interns in all the schools that we work with all over the country [and] in the world. We've got international partners now,” said Joshua Burford, co-founder and co-director of the IHP. “You're going to see a lot more information about queer history coming out from the vantage point of graduate students who are, some of them for the first time, getting access.”
Monday, March 25, is the deadline to apply for the IHP internships. Candidates will be notified the following week if they are selected for an interview. The submission website advises that for an applicant to participate in an internship, they must be getting course credit, practicum credit or have an official intern position through their institution.
Information and updates about the Invisible Histories Project’s student internship research projects, scholarly articles, archival collections, regional history and more can be found on a newly launched outlet from the nonprofit.
“We're running a blog now through our website, where our graduate students, our community partners [and] other people in the network are writing about aspects of LGBT history from all over the country,” said Burford. “You'll be able to basically keep up with what we're doing through the blog and really get to see this amazing lens that our students are adding to the work that they're researching.”
The IHP mentions the new blog will serve as a way to engage with historical records, connect with the work of Invisible Histories and learn from others working to save at-risk LGBTQ+ history.
Meantime, the organization is seeking queer storytellers, memory workers, community archivist and speakers to take part in the IHP's virtual Queer History Teach In. The event is set for June 2, during Pride Month. It will feature guests sharing stories about LGBTQ+ figures, community groups, protests, businesses, art and culture and more.
The Invisible Histories Project notes in a Facebook post that although interested participants do not have to be a Southerner to apply, organizers give preference to stories and presenters from Deep South and Appalachian states.
The application deadline to apply for the IHP Queer History Teach In is Friday, March 29. Selected speakers will be notified the week following the close of the submissions. For any questions or concerns, email contact@invisiblehistory.org.
Those interested in supporting the efforts to save Southern LGBTQ+ history can connect and get involved here or make a monetary donation in the following ways:
--Venmo @IHPDonate
--Website: https://invisiblehistory.org/donations/donate-to-ihp/
--PayPal: paypal.me/InvisibleHistories
Learn more about the Invisible Histories Project here or visit the IHP blog.
