Public History & Philly

  Hours: 107             Last week, I had the opportunity to utilize the card catalogues at the JDP in order to see what the site does and does not have on file concerning the enslaved, indentured, and free people who labored here in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Because the only day that I could complete research in person last week was on a Tuesday and due to travel, a good majority of my research following last Tuesday was completed remotely. Though I have searched for documents online concerning my research topic, I again noted the dearth of information available online for my research and relied on secondary sources to gain knowledge about slavery in Delaware. Also, I am still being as attentive as I can be to the ways that “slave” and “enslavement” are utilized throughout the documents that I have come across, secondary or primary. After reviewing more secondary sources, I saw that the push to regard people who wer...

 Hours: 77.5 Last week, I continued to focus my research efforts on the background history of the JDP and to find as much information about the people who were enslaved, indentured, or free at this location during the 18 th and 19 th centuries. However, after receiving a voice message from my research partner Sakinaa at the beginning of that week, I added a new task unto my inclusive history researcher duties. In Sakinaa’s message, I was informed that she and I are being asked by Annie, JDP’s site interpreter, to analyze the ways that the words “slave” and “enslavement” have been utilized in historic documents about the JDP. To analyze the usage of said terms, we might look into matters such as the context in which these words are or are not used, who used these terms, which documents include such terms, and other situations and realities that may help progress our research and knowledge. Tomorrow will be my first research visit to the JDP, and my first trip that I will take to...

  Hours: 50 My task last week was to continue to broaden my knowledge of the history of John Dickinson, the JDP, and the enslaved, indentured, and free people who labored and lived on or around the JDP. One of the main focuses the past couple of days was to learn a bit more about the religious background, that of Quakers, Dickinson grew up around while young. One of the documents the resources that I utilized this week for research was Jane E. Calvert’s book Quaker Constitutionalism and the Political Thought of John Dickinson (2009). There were very helpful excerpts which delved into the Quaker faith, stemming back to its beginnings in the 17 th century to Dickinson’s time of political activism during the American Revolution. Having this background, it is important to note that John Dickinson, at a certain time in his life, did not affiliate himself with Quaker beliefs. Being that he owned slaves, this reality sets him apart from many other Quakers at the time who were oppos...

  Photo of Log’d Dwelling Replica at the JDP: https://history.delaware.gov/john-dickinson-plantation/ Hours: 41                                               In a few days, I will have been a member of HCA for two weeks. I am still in the beginning stages of my position, and as of right now, I am working on buffing my knowledge of the history of the JDP, John Dickinson, and the enslaved, indentured, and free people who lived and labored there. Last Wednesday, Annie Fenimore and Gloria Henry, two Historic Site Interpreters of HCA, graciously took time to meet with me at the JDP to fill me in on portions of my future endeavors as an Inclusive History Researcher of this organization. Also, I received a thorough tour from Annie through the mansion of the JDP and di...