The Our Whole History Enslavement to Freedom Curatorial Fellow will conduct research and advance scholarship related to the Enslavement to Freedom initiative. The Our Whole History (OWH) initiative of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) seeks to reveal and share historically undertold stories of ordinary and extraordinary people and events across New York State.
Falling under the umbrella of the Our Whole History initiative is Enslavement to Freedom 1627–1827–2027 (E2F), a landmark, multi-year public education and commemoration project that shines a light on New York State’s deeply undertold history of slavery and its enduring legacy.
In 2027, New York State will recognize the 200th anniversary of the end of legalized slavery in the state (1827) and the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans enslaved in the former New Netherland colony (1627). The goals of the Enslavement to Freedom project are to expand the narratives of historic sites by taking a deeper look into this history and its impact on later historic movements by developing exhibits, public programs, and other educational resources.
This fellowship is funded by a suballocation to OPRHP from the NYS Department of State acting on behalf of the NYS African American History Commission with the express intent to advance the knowledge of and access to historic material and artifacts related to the presence of Africans and their descendants in the history of the New York State.
OPRHP’s Bureau of Historic Sites (BHS) Curatorial Unit is responsible for providing research support and interpretation of state-owned historic collections for use in furnishing plans, exhibits, and programs at state historic sites. Working under the Parks’ Our Whole History umbrella and focused specifically on the Enslavement to Freedom initiative, we are seeking a candidate for a curatorial fellowship to assist the Bureau of Historic Sites with a survey of resources within our historic sites’ collections relating to Black history in New York.
The Enslavement to Freedom Curatorial Fellowship Program is seeking a candidate who brings expertise and experience to this initiative, which will include projects, such as:
- Progress Reports – Provide written reports on the progress of the overall project, which may include PowerPoint presentations highlighting material found within the archival collections.
- Digital Portal – Collate the research into an online exhibition using eMuseum to support the work of Enslavement to Freedom and to provide greater online access to resources that support Black history.
- Exhibits – Provide research support to the ongoing projects with Enslavement to Freedom, including temporary exhibitions, banner exhibitions, ArcGIS StoryMap, and programs
- Programs – Provide presentations at historic sites (internal and public) to report on the content of items
Job duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Researching at Peebles Island (Cohoes, NY) and within archives and collections of OPRHP’s Historic Sites to identify those resources that enhance and support Enslavement to Freedom projects and relate to Black History as a whole.
- Entering, editing, and updating object records for each object into the collections management database(s), using established database protocols to ensure that all descriptive and inventory data are complete and accurate.
- Taking reference photo documentation of items found in collections.
- Providing contextual research that supports the collections to better understand how they compare to other similar collections and how they support the overall narrative of Black history in New York.
- Reporting to collections management and conservation staff at the Bureau of Historic Sites about any immediate condition and storage needs for these collections to ensure the longevity of these archival and historic collections.
- Working with the Enslavement to Freedom overall team to support the exhibits, programs, and other needs for archival material related to Black history.
Supervision and training will be given in all of the above tasks.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Previous experience in a museum, historical society, arts organization, or related institution; previous work experience in curatorial duties.
- Prior collections handling experience preferred. Previous experience with museum collections software preferred, specifically TMS and Crystal Reports.
- Demonstrated familiarity with documentation standards and collections management standards.
- Basic understanding of best practices for digital data management and conversion of legacy materials to digital formats.
OPERATIONAL NEEDS:
- Candidate must be currently enrolled in a graduate or doctoral program in History, Public History, Museum Studies, Africana Studies, Archival/Library Science or a closely related field. All but dissertation (ABD) and postdoctoral candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to problem solve, work independently, and interact with a wide audience range with a focus on service on concurrent projects.
- Excellent organizational, writing, proofreading, and analytical skills, with close attention to detail.
- Ability to perform medium to heavy physical labor, including medium-heavy lifting and using step ladders.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
This position is anticipated for the Spring and Summer Semesters, with the possibility to continue during the Fall Semester.
BENEFITS:
This position has the option to join the NYS Employees’ Retirement System and may be eligible for health insurance, dental and vision coverage as well as the opportunity for paid time off in the form of vacation, sick, personal and holiday leave after time and service requirements has been met.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2026.
Date posted: February 17, 2026.