Summer Internship in Public History
The Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) seeks talented and energetic applicants for an exciting and paid summer internship in Jackson, Mississippi. This internship is co-led by Nora Katz (Director of Heritage & Interpretation) and Dr. Josh Parshall (Director of History).
Through a slate of engaging public programs and resources, the ISJL shares stories of Jewish life in the South with a wide and diverse audience. Our historical resources include The Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities (an online collection of approximately 300 essays on local Jewish histories), an oral history collection consisting of more than 800 interviews, and the ISJL Institutional History Archive. Our public programs include the ISJL Virtual Vacation (a video series that explores the history and culture of the Jewish South).
Depending on interns’ skills and interests, projects include:
- Revising and updating Arkansas entries in the Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities.
- Historical research for the Encyclopedia or other digital history projects.
- Developing, writing, and producing episodes of the ISJL Virtual Vacation.
- Transcribing and indexing oral history interviews.
- Processing and cataloging archival materials.
- Traveling to collect historical documents, conduct research, and experience the South.
Strong applicants will have experience in one or more of the following: southern history/culture, Jewish history/culture, public history, digital humanities, or museums and archives. Successful applicants will also have the ability to produce engaging and creative written content, and a passion for public-facing historical research and programs. Rising college juniors or seniors preferred.
Interns will reside in Jackson, Mississippi, and receive a $3,000 stipend. The internship runs from May 30 to August 4, 2023. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with priority given to applications received by March 1, 2023.
To apply, please provide the following materials to Dr. Josh Parshall at jparshall@isjl.org:
- Cover letter
- Résumé/CV
- Short work sample (e.g. a term paper, digital history project, or a work product from a historical or archival setting)
- Names and contact information of three references
Address cover letter to:
Dr. Josh Parshall
Director of History
Institute of Southern Jewish Life
P.O. Box 16528
Jackson, MS 39236