Organizations Seek Proposals for Black Women of the Movement Symposium

The African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian Institution, Independence National Historical Park and the Friends of Independence National Historical Park are partnering together to offer a free symposium March 25, 2017, at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Amplify! Black Women of the Movement will celebrate and discuss Black women who have organized for social, political, and economic change. Sponsoring organizations invite presentations that highlight Black women’s achievements through academic research and creative practice. Continue reading for the full RFP from the organizers. Proposal Due Date: January 9, 2017

Summary of Symposium: Amplify! Black Women of the Movement celebrates the nurturers, healers, artists, writers, educators, and entrepreneurs that have helped reshape the American framework but whose contributions are often overlooked and ignored. From providing services for communities, to making groundbreaking discoveries, to normalizing Black hair and the politics of the body, this symposium will feature stories of Black women who have reimagined and reestablished education, the arts, science, and health in various ways.

We invite presentations that highlight Black women’s achievements through academic research and creative practice. Continuing the goals of previous years to share current work and to illuminate aspects of the Black Lives Matter Movement, this symposium will feature the stories and voices of Black women who have organized for social, political, and economic change. We invite presentations about Black women past and present through literature and projects that combine artistic creativity with practical outcomes and functional aspects, providing benefits and services to communities even when bureaucratic delivery systems fail. We are shining a light on the often unknown Black women who have created substantive change and impact for centuries. There will also be a keynote address featuring an invited guest from the Smithsonian Institution.

Symposium Format: We seek to encourage lively conversation and engagement through a mixture of presentation styles:

• 10-15 minute presentations
• 5 minute talks/poster presentations
• Roundtable open dialogue
• A small amount of display space will be available for those who are interested in tabling. Please make note of this in the application.

Potential Topics:

• Projects that examine Black women’s grass roots organizations and present the findings in innovative ways. These might include works of art, oral histories, civic engagement, publications or traditional healing practices.
• Medical activism. Women banding together to ensure access to health care for the underserved.
• Physical appearance: hair, body, etc
• Food justice projects that educate and improve nutrition through community gardens, farmers’ markets, instruction and meal distribution.
• Grass roots activism to institute policy change.

Submittals for Consideration:

1. A description of your proposed presentation (no more than 1 page in length) that specifies how your presentation will contribute to the audience’s understanding of the symposium’s theme,
2. A CV or Resume describing your relevant research and experience,
3. No more than 2 photographs of relevant materials,
4. Responses to the following questions: a. How do you imagine presenting? (Video, Storytelling, PowerPoint, Lecture, etc.) b. What materials or technology do you need for your presentation?

Please submit these materials to programs@aampmuseum.org. The deadline for submittals is January 9, 2017. If you are selected, you will be asked to submit a photograph, a brief biographical statement, and if relevant, a link to your organization.

This is the fourth symposium offered in partnership by the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian Institution, Independence National Historical Park and the Friends of Independence National Historical Park.

If you have any additional questions about the symposium please email programs@aampmuseum.org.