Elena Daniele, LA French And Italian
This project supports community-engaged research and it is carried out in partnership with the American Italian Cultural Center (AICC) located in downtown New Orleans. With the goal of preserving local memory, the hired student will transcribe oral archival sources from the American Italian Cultural Center (AICC) Museum’s collection, retrieving several families’ histories of life in New Orleans as Italian immigrant families.
Such family histories are currently only available in audio format. Some of the interviews already transcribed by Tulane students were selected to be incorporated in the recent AICC museum renovation and portions of them can now be seen on the museum walls and heard through an automated narration.
The goal of this ongoing research project is to continue to make more materials available to researchers of the history of Italian immigration to the city of New Orleans, as well as the broader public.
• To preserve local memory by making audio archival materials available in digital / printed format;
• To enhance the student’s understanding of the history and contemporary reality of the city in which they are pursuing their studies. New Orleans’ Italian heritage is shadowed by the city’s strong French and Spanish colonial past, but it is nevertheless considerable. More Italians arrived in the U.S. through the port of New Orleans than that of New York; and few remember that what is known today as the French Quarter was once called “Little Palermo”, as it was nearly entirely populated by Italian immigrants at one time; or that the world-renowned New Orleanian jazz has strong Italian roots);
• To increase communication and exchange between the Italian Program at Tulane and New Orleans-based institutions that promote Italian culture, such as the AICC (American Italian Cultural Center), and among Italian learners/speakers in New Orleans, both at Tulane and outside of it.
• To enhance the Italian community’s understanding of its own history and preserve local and regional memory.
Time, eligibility, and other details
| Expected workload | The workload is flexible and can be adjusted to the student’s pace and will be determined based on the student’s availability. The work can be carried out fully remotely (no need to be on-site). The duties are: to diligently transcribe audio materials in English, sometimes with references to Italian language or Sicilian dialect, and to strictly adhere to a set of guidelines for standardized typing. Attention to details and a solid understanding of English spelling and grammar is needed. Some knowledge of the Italian language is preferred. |
| Skills required | Willingness to diligently transcribe audio materials in English, with occasional references to Italian language or Sicilian dialect, and to strictly adhere to a set of guidelines for standardized typing. Attention to details and a solid understanding of English spelling and grammar is needed. Some knowledge of the Italian language is preferred. |
| Who is eligible | Any year according to student’s skills and capacity |
| Core partners | American Italian Cultural Center (AICC) |
| Sponsoring party | Faculty and community-organized |
| Volunteer, Paid, or Credit-eligible? | Paid or credit-eligible |
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