Group Contract for
The James Monroe Museum’s
Political Cartoon Project
By:
Rachel Luehrs, Andrew Becken
Rachel Icard, Heather Thompson
Mission Statement:
Our mission is to display the complete collection of the one-hundred and eighteen cartoons dating from the 1890s to the 1960s housed at the James Monroe Museum in a digital format. We will also do our best to provide context on the issues and events displayed within the cartoons. We pledge that the information presented is both honest and inclusive to the best of our knowledge and research.
Tools to be used:
- Google Documents
○ We will be using this tool for communication purposes as well as for collaborative writing assignments.
- Video and Audio
○ We will use either a history department owned camera or a personally owned digital camera to record interviews with the James Monroe Museum’s staff for further insight on the collection. For editing purposes (both video and audio) we will use the iMovie program present in the digital media lab.
○ iMovie Link: http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/
- Windows Essentials
○ We will be using this tool to clean up and clarify the digital pictures taken of the cartoons.
○ http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials
- Neatline
○ We will use this tool to create a timeline of events addressed by the cartoons. To also engage the public with specific cartoons that address specific eras.
○ http://neatline.scholarslab.org
- Omeka
○ We will use this tool to create our digital history web site. We feel confident that the storage available will be able to host both the cartoon collection and our research.
Tasks (bolded tasks signify collaborative group work):
- Create web site on Omeka at JMPolitToons.omeka.net.
- Categorize cartoons.
○ To be sorted by theme and time period such as the FDR, Monroe Doctrine, World Wars, etc.
- Research artists, cartoon styles, newspapers, original recipient of part of political cartoon collection: Andrew K. Reynolds, etc.
- Upload information on individual cartoons
○ Such as title, newspaper source, artist information, condition, and date published.
- Create uniform label style/information and brainstorm browse terms/tags. Label cartoons.
- Create glossary page.
○ Will consist key terms, ideas, and vocabulary pertinent to the collection.
- Design mini-exhibit on the eight Monroe Doctrine political cartoons present in the collection.
- Make teaching resources.
○ Such as lesson plans, S.O.L. connections, field trip information to the James Monroe Museum, and tips on educating students with political cartoons.
- Interview Director, Curator, and intern who initially digitized the cartoons
- Upload related information (newspapers, other links, journal article citations, etc.)
- Timeline of events related to cartoons.
- Slide-show of political cartoons.
Resources
- Dr. Blakemore: For reference on military history.
- Jarod Kearney: As reference on collection housed at the James Monroe Museum.
- DTLT team: For reference/aid on digital history efforts.
- Dr. Harris: For reference on Soviet related cartoons.
- Dr. McClurken: For reference on how to go about digital history.
Division of Labor:
- Research of connection to high school/educational resources-Rachel L.and Heather
- Formation of glossary search terms
- Create web site
- Categorize
- Research on World Wars references: Heather
- Research on Cold War references: Rachel Icard
- Research on partisan references: Rachel Luehrs
- Research on FDR references: Andrew
- Research for Monroe Doctrine references
○ Mini-exhibit will be a group effort, however, Rachel Icard will be overseeing the operation.
- Label formatting and writing: Rachel Icard
- Timeline: Heather
- Resource person on plug ins: Heather
- Glossary Page: Rachel Luehrs and Andrew
Audience:
Our target audience includes: visitors to the James Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia, teachers and students both in public schools and within the College of Education, historians, cartoon and sketch artists, history enthusiasts, digital history enthusiasts, and general researchers. We hope to reach our audience via endorsement of the James Monroe Museum, personal connections within both the public school system and the College of Education, and through advertising via flyers and social media. We also hope to gain awareness of our project through the support of our mentor Dr. McClurken and other current history professors at the University of Mary Washington.
Milestones:
Week 6: Plan the information architecture for the web site (collections with tags, divide cartoons into sets by context of the event/decade it refers to). Establish web page on Omeka at the URL jmpolitoons.omeka.net. Divide cartoons into categories (FDR, ColdWar/Monroe Doctrine, Partisan References, and World Wars). Collaborate on ten to fifteen minute group progress presentation due March 1st.To be completed by Sunday February 26th.
Week 7: Spring Break. Recuperation and planning for future tasks for group.From March 2nd to March 12th.
Week 8:Research events within the different categories of cartoons, decide on glossary/ search terms. Start to upload content information. Prepare three to five minute presentation to be given on March 15th. To be completed by March 18th.
Week 9: Create timeline, upload cartoons to web page, create slide-show, begin labelling cartoons (1/3 completed). Prepare ten to fifteen progress presentation to be given on March 22nd. To be completed March 25th.
Week 10: Continue labelling cartoons (2/3 completed), create glossary page, create pages on background information/context. Prepare three to five minute presentation to be given on March 29th. To be completed April 1st.
Week 11: Finish labelling cartoons (complete), build page on teacher resources/lesson plans for using political cartoons. Prepare ten to fifteen presentation to be given on April 5th. To be completed by April 8th.
Week 12: Begin constructing mini-exhibit, some levels of publicity via local high school classrooms/McClurken’s resources. Prepare for three to five minute presentation on the 12th. To be completed April 15th.
Week 13: Interview curator/director of James Monroe Museum, edit and upload videos.Get commentary on specific cartoons for the mini-exhibit. Prepare for ten to fifteen minute presentation on April 19th. To be completed by April 22nd.
Week 14:Final Polishing of format/theme, Revisions of content or interface. Complete project. Prepare History Symposium ten minute presentation. To be completed April 24th
Give presentation on project at the History Symposium April 27th.