Scholars in the history department at Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, have begun work on an online encyclopedia on the history of African Americans in the state of Florida. The project will offer students at the university the opportunity to perform real world work as historians and gain valuable experience in digital media. Students will be able to submit articles to the encyclopedia for peer-review by an editorial board.
Richard Buckelew, associate professor of history at Bethune-Cookman said, “our primary motivation for creating the online encyclopedia is to create an easily accessible resource in which we can share the rich historical contributions of African Americans in Florida.”
Dr. Buckelew and his partner in the effort Jeannette Ford, also an associate professor of history, are submitting grants for funding for design, software, and initial staffing. Eventually, they estimate that they will need to raise $500,000 to complete the project.
