CBH Workshop | Exploring the Archives with Historian Prithi Kanakamedala
How do historians approach the vitally important work of conducting research in an archive? Where do they start? What is the process? And for those researching under-documented peoples and topics, how do they solve for the silences in the archives?
Join historian Prithi Kanakamedala and CBH Assistant Director of Collections and Public Service Natiba Guy-Clement for a special evening in the Center for Brooklyn History’s Othmer Reading Room. Kanakamedala shares her experiences combing through CBH’s archives while researching a decade-long project on Brooklyn’s nineteenth century free Black community.
Kanakamedala’s research culminated in her new book Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough. She guides us through the types of materials she explored, from city directories to maps, and participants have the opportunity to handle similar primary documents.
The evening concludes with Guy-Clement explaining how attendees can pursue research of their own at CBH.
Images clockwise from top left:
Engraving of Havemeyers and Elder Sugar Refinery, circa 1870; Map of the Village of Williamsburgh, 1854; Book cover of “Brooklynites”; Map of the consolidated city of Brooklyn, 1868
NOTE: This program has a capacity of 25 participants.
Participants
Prithi Kanakamedala is Professor of History at Bronx Community College CUNY. She also teaches at CUNY Graduate Center, where she is the inaugural faculty coordinator of the Public Scholarship Practice Space. As a public historian, Prithi has worked with a range of cultural organizations including Danspace Project Inc, Place Matters/ City Lore, Brooklyn Historical Society (now Center for Brooklyn History at Brooklyn Public Library), and Weeksville Heritage Center. Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough (NYU Press, 2024) is her first book.
Natiba Guy-Clement is a special collection library professional and the Assistant Director at the Center for Brooklyn History. Born and raised in Trinidad, Natiba immigrated to Harlem, NY, and started her library career at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Her interest in special collections motivated her to obtain her master’s degree in library and information science, from Pratt Institute. She has been a part of the Brooklyn Public Library team for the past seven years and stewards special collections at the Center for Brooklyn History. As a Brooklynite, Natiba enjoys using her special collections experience for the borough.
How do historians approach the vitally important work of conducting research in an archive? Where do they start? What is the process? And for those researching under-documented peoples and topics, how do they solve for the silences in the archives?
Join historian Prithi Kanakamedala and CBH Assistant Director of Collections and Public Service Natiba Guy-Clement for a special evening in the Center for Brooklyn History’s Othmer Reading Room. Kanakamedala shares her experiences combing through CBH’s archives while researching a decade-long project on Brooklyn’s nineteenth century free Black community.
Kanakamedala’s research culminated in her new book Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough. She guides us through the types of materials she explored, from city directories to maps, and participants have the opportunity to handle similar primary documents.
The evening concludes with Guy-Clement explaining how attendees can pursue research of their own at CBH.
Images clockwise from top left:
Engraving of Havemeyers and Elder Sugar Refinery, circa 1870; Map of the Village of Williamsburgh, 1854; Book cover of “Brooklynites”; Map of the consolidated city of Brooklyn, 1868
NOTE: This program has a capacity of 25 participants.
Participants
Prithi Kanakamedala is Professor of History at Bronx Community College CUNY. She also teaches at CUNY Graduate Center, where she is the inaugural faculty coordinator of the Public Scholarship Practice Space. As a public historian, Prithi has worked with a range of cultural organizations including Danspace Project Inc, Place Matters/ City Lore, Brooklyn Historical Society (now Center for Brooklyn History at Brooklyn Public Library), and Weeksville Heritage Center. Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough (NYU Press, 2024) is her first book.
Natiba Guy-Clement is a special collection library professional and the Assistant Director at the Center for Brooklyn History. Born and raised in Trinidad, Natiba immigrated to Harlem, NY, and started her library career at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Her interest in special collections motivated her to obtain her master’s degree in library and information science, from Pratt Institute. She has been a part of the Brooklyn Public Library team for the past seven years and stewards special collections at the Center for Brooklyn History. As a Brooklynite, Natiba enjoys using her special collections experience for the borough.
Brooklyn Public Library - Center for Brooklyn History MM/DD/YYYY 60