Archie Motley Archival Internship Program
History & Mission
The BMRC’s Archie Motley Archival Internship Program (AMAIP) was launched in January 2016. The mission of the AMAIP is to develop and create meaningful and educational internship opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates in the field of archives and cultural heritage management. Stipends are provided to students of color selected for practical employment experience working with cultural heritage professionals in BMRC member institutions. Since its inception, 18 interns have completed an AMAIP internship. Five of them went on to work in an archive, library or museum.
Who was Archie Motley?
Archibald Motley III (1934- 2002) was a long-time archivist at the Chicago History Museum (1955-2002) and a leader in the profession. Motley served as a founding member and first president of the Midwest Archives Conference and was also an active member of the Society of American Archivists. Before his death, he was named Chicago History Museum’s Archivist Emeritus, in honor of his tireless collection development efforts to preserve Chicago’s urban, social and cultural history –especially collections related to labor, African Americans, and community organizations. Those collections include the papers of Claude Barnett, founder of the Associated Negro Press; Earl Dickerson, an attorney for Supreme Life Insurance Co.; and papers of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Among archivists, he was well known for his service to the profession and interest in assisting and mentoring the younger generation. Motley is remembered as a dedicated archivist who always made time for students coming along in the profession. Learn more about Archie Motley via the 2002 Chicago Tribune article and on the website, Midwest Archives Conference/Motley.
Application Information:
METRO CHICAGO-AREA STUDENTS:
The application deadline for our summer 2023 Archie Motley Archival Internship has closed. If you have interest in applying for the summer 2024 cohort, please take a moment to read the Student Application Guidelines regarding eligibility requirements and other program information.
BMRC MEMBER INSTITUTIONS:
Interested in learning more about how your institution can become a host institution for one of our 2024 Archie Motley interns? Please take time to review the detailed Host Site Application Guidelines which provide eligibility requirements, project proposal expectations, and other program information.
Summer 2022 Archie Motley Archival Interns:
CAMERON DRAKE is a rising junior at the University of Chicago where he majors in History and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies with a minor in Theater Performance
Project and BMRC host institution: Cameron will work on the Documenting Black History in DeKalb County and at Northern Illinois University project, a joint effort of BMRC member institution, Northern Illinois University and the Dekalb County History Center.
AMAIP Goals/Future plans: "America is currently in a transition period within its history. I firmly believe that the best way to analyze and accurately portray history is through studying the archive. [During this internship] I hope to study how these stories have been told and how they should be told in order to best benefit the subjects of these stories: the black community."
SYDNIE MARTIN is a 2022 graduate of DePaul University where she received her B.A. in African and Black Diaspora Studies with a minor in History.
Project and BMRC host institution: Sydnie will work on the Oral Histories of the Black Student Union project in Special Collections and University Archives at DePaul University
AMAIP Goals/Future plans: "Professionally, I would like to have a career in archives. I hope to pursue a graduate degree in library science or museum studies...I have a passion for studying Black history and think it is incredibly important for Black archivists to preserve it before it is lost completely, or completely misunderstood."
DAIAN RODRIGUEZ is a rising sophomore at the University of Chicago where she majors in Anthropology and Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Project and BMRC host institution: Daian will work on the Cook County Historic Archives and Records Office (CARO) Oral History Collection at the Cook County Historic Archives.
AMAIP Goals/Future plans: "My goals right now are rather open, I don’t have an established end goal for my career. I do know that I would like to focus on cultural Anthropology and be able to work on research projects regarding regions like Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. I’m interested in this internship because I would like to have some exposure to a working environment where preserving cultural heritage is important."
Summer 2021 Archie Motley Archival Interns
AMAIP intern Jordan Wright is a 2021 graduate of DePaul University
Project and BMRC host institution: Jordan worked on further enhancing metadata for and access to the Raeburn Flerlage Photograph Collection at the Chicago History Museum.
UPDATE: In the fall of 2021, Jordan joined the University of Chicago Library's Special Collections Research Center staff. Jordan plans to pursue graduate studies in library and information science.
AMAIP intern Rebekah Otto is a graduate student at DePaul University
Project and BMRC host institution: Rebekah is collecting oral histories for the African American Police League Collection at the Chicago History Museum.
Update: In the winter of 2021, Rebekah joined the staff of DePaul University Library's Special Collections and University Archives. She continues work towards earning a masters degree.
Malik Pitchford graduated from DePaul University with a degree in
Project and BMRC host institution: Malik worked on the Black Alumni Collection at the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies at Northwestern University
where he collected and transcribed oral histories of students from the 1960s and 70s decades.
AMAIP intern Callie Smith is a rising sophomore at The University of Chicago
Project and BMRC host institution: Callie also worked on the Black Alumni Collection at the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies at Northwestern University, collecting and transcribing oral histories of students from the 1960s and 70s decades.