Center for the Study of African American Religious Life Publications Internship

NOTE: Applications submitted through Handshake will NOT be considered.

Desired Majors and Areas of Study: English, Advertising, Communication, Journalism, and Graphic Design

Through innovative scholarship, public programs, and collecting religious artifacts, the Center for the Study of African American Religious Life (CSAARL) expands the ways religions are acknowledged and explored by our nation’s research and cultural institutions and the general public. The Center is guided by its commitment to exploring technology’s influence on religious life. Multiple religious traditions and expressions are central to our interpretative work. CSAARL aspires to be a leading arbiter of the study, presentation, and interpretation of Black multifaith life. 

During the initial phase of CSAARL, the Museum launched a first-of-its-kind Center dedicated to the preservation and exploration of African American religious and spiritual life. CSAARL exceeded the goals for Phase 1 funding by, among other accomplishments, establishing a presence in the fields of religious studies, theology, and museum studies; fostering community partnerships with national and local religious organizations; expanding the Museum’s collections; creating digital-first projects; presenting compelling exhibitions, public programs, including the lauded Spirit in the Dark: Religion in Black Music, Activism, and Popular Culture exhibition; creating and producing gOD-Talk, an award-winning digital series and featured film; releasing a major publication, Movements, Motions, Moments: Photographs of Religion and Spirituality from the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Additionally, the Center recruited stellar staff and post-doctoral fellows, which allowed the Center to increase the volume and intensity of its work and propel the careers of a new generation of religious and spiritual leaders. Through these achievements, CSAARL reached broad audiences and increased the public’s awareness and understanding of a wide variety of faith traditions.

The Center for the Study of African American Religious Life Publications Intern will assist in the initial process of the designing, publishing, and producing of a magazine and/or journal for the Center for African American Religious Life (CSAARL) and the gODTalk film series. The goal is to ensure the intern gains a well-rounded experience that includes designing, producing, publishing, and distributing a magazine and/or journal. The intern will take part in weekly and monthly meetings connected to these tasks and the CSAARL broader work across the Museum. Where relevant, opportunities to meet and engage with other NMAAHC staff and interns through activities and events touching CSAARL work will be arranged throughout the intern’s time. 

The intern will:

• Develop proficiency in content editing, proofreading, and writing styles
• Enhance research skills for content development
• Understand the basic principles of page design and magazine/journal layout
• Collaborate with the editorial and design teams to integrate content and visuals
• Learn the basics of magazine and journal creation
• Understand the collaborative nature of publishing, including working with editors, writers, and designers

This is an exciting opportunity for those interested in alternative paths to religious scholarship or developing the craft of writing religion.

Duties Include (but are not limited to):

• Perform background research for interviews and creation of research packets to lead an oral history interview and transcribe the interview with minimal errors 
• Attend project and department meetings to identify three departments in the museum that they want to learn more about
• Develop a collections story to explain the importance of public history to a member of the public
• Assist with content research for exhibitions in development (including research on objects, images and archives) to use secondary sources to update an object description without errors
• Proofread articles and other materials for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and factual accuracy
• Assist in organizing/layout for publication
• Help track submissions and deadlines, ensuring on-time delivery
• Ensure images and text are correctly aligned and formatted in line with publication’s style guidelines