Today’s post comes from Pamela Wright, Chief Innovation Officer.
In March 2019, the National Archives Museum will launch an exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment: Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote. Visitors will learn more about the history of suffrage in the United States, basic civics, suffragists, why voting matters, the women who were disenfranchised after the 19th amendment, and struggles that persist today.
As we prepare for this important centennial, we are working hard to increase access to the records we hold around suffrage. In collaboration with the National Archives, Wiki Education is once again offering a virtual professional development course to train scholars to improve articles on Wikipedia related to topics about women’s suffrage. When visitors leave Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote, they will find deeper and broader context on Wikipedia about these important topics.
Through this course, individuals with interests in political science, women’s rights, and U.S. history will learn how to improve Wikipedia’s coverage of the history of women’s voting rights in the United States. Participants are able to make a meaningful impact on public knowledge about women’s suffrage by improving Wikipedia, a platform that hundreds of millions of people look to for information each month.
During the first Wiki Scholars course held this fall, participants focused on minority suffragists as well as significant court cases. Within the first two months of the course, 20 editors made a total of 1,062 edits in 37 articles. These articles have been viewed more than 290,000 times.
Pulling together Wikipedia experts, detailed Wikipedia training, and tips to navigate the National Archives’ extensive digital collections, this is the only skills-development course of its kind worldwide. Participants will join the online community of Wikipedians, utilize emerging modes of knowledge transmission, and make a broader impact with their scholarship by reaching millions.
National Archives Identifier 45568324
Give voice to the millions of women who have struggled for a political voice in the century since the 19th amendment was adopted. Apply to become a Wiki Scholar, add this history to Wikipedia, and educate the world.
The application window closes December 15, 2018. Visit the application page for course information and to apply.