Insider: Amistad Research Center assists with PBS series

Alicia Duplessis Jasmin aduples@tulane.edu
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The Amistad Research Center on the Tulane uptown campus is one of several archival institutions contributing historical photos and documents to the Abolitionist Map of America, an interactive website that explores events, characters and locations connected to the anti-slavery movement.

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In addition to the map, Chris Harter, Amistad's director of library and reference services, says the center also assisted producers at PBS in the completion of "The Abolitionists," a three-part series about the people, places and events that contributed to the movement.

The series is currently airing on PBS stations and its website through Jan. 22. Broadcast times vary.

The map offers an opportunity to interact with a number of documents, artifacts and websites that chronicle the abolitionist movement. It also provides a supplemental experience for viewers of "The Abolitionists" series.

You can follow Amistad's ongoing additions to the map here.

Harter says it isn't uncommon for television and film producers to reach out to Amistad for historical research. In fact, they've worked with PBS on various programs in the past.

One example is the online transcription of a letter by Edmonia Highgate, a free woman of color who taught in the South for the American Missionary Association during and after the Civil War.

“Contributing to an online resource like the Abolitionists Map of America symbolizes the center's emphasis on an increased digital presence,” says Harter. “Since increasing our online presence, we've seen an increase in researchers from elementary students to university faculty, from locals to international scholars.”

The Amistad Research Center, located in Tilton Hall, is open to the public Monday–Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

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