Archaeology and Cultural Heritage in Brazoria County, Texas
Team Advisor/PI
Project Description/Research Team Goals
In this Vertically Integrated Project, sub-teams of students and faculty engage with archaeological, museums, historical, and cultural heritage professionals, as well as community groups and members, in the work of learning and teaching about the history of African Americans in Brazoria County, Texas.
Issues Addressed
Through this research, team members address gaps in historical and public knowledge about the lives and roles of African American Texans in significant developments in state history. Through archaeological methods, researchers investigate the daily lives of captive laborers through the material remains of their activities. In historical archival research, investigators elucidate recorded evidence of the practices of captive labor and experiences of post-Emancipation free people. In collaboration with institutions of public history and cultural heritage, the team makes these results directly accessible to public audiences. With the guidance of community groups, we learn together about the significance of these histories to families, church congregations, heritage organizations, preservation associations, and other community members.
Research Methods and Technology
This multidisciplinary research spans humanities and social science fields and is conducted primarily through archaeological and archival research into the material culture remains (artifactual, archival, and spatial) of significant historical places including plantations, freedom colonies, churches, schools, and dwellings. These findings are then drawn into community discussions and finally into publicly available content through various historical heritage and public archaeology methods. Projects vary by semester, but in general, sub-teams of the VIP work on archaeological excavation, artifact analysis, GIS mapping, photogrammetry, public archaeology, digital humanities, museum education and outreach, historical heritage, archival document research, historiography, cemetery preservation, and community engagement.
Preferred Undergraduate Interests
- Archaeology
- History
- Heritage
- African American Studies
Academic Majors of Interest
Open to all
Prior Preparation/Requisite Experience
None
Compensation
Yes
Course Credit
UNIV 291/UNIV 391 (enrollment with special permission of instructor)
Team Meeting
Most sub-teams meet one time per week
Actively Onboarding New Members
Not currently taking new students
Contact
For more information, please see the team's site or email Prof. Molly Morgan (mm92@rice.edu).