Dr. Rodney Taylor
<b>Department: </b>English<br><b>Research Area: </b>African American Literature, African American Studies, Archival Research, Periodical Studies
Department: English
Research Focus: African American Literature, African American Studies, Archival Research, Periodical Studies
Potential Student Project(s):
I am working on my book project, Black Writers of the Postbellum/Preharlem Era, which explores marginal African American writers after the Civil War (1865) up to the Harlem Renaissance (1918). I am currently writing two chapters, "Written and Delivered by Him": D. Webster Davis and the Corrective Archive," which examines the literary work of nineteenth-century African-American writer Daniel Webster Davis in conjunction with his archival materials to present a critical reinterpretation of his work for our contemporary moment. I am also working on another chapter, “To the Writers of the Race": Jas. H.W. Howard and the Negro Problem.” This chapter explores how Harrisburg, PA-based writer and publisher Jas. H.W. Howard and his periodicals contributed to late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Black print culture and racial discourse. Both of these chapters required and continue to require extensive archival and periodical research. Building off of my
current work, the student would be introduced to various digital newspaper and periodical repositories where they comb for literary works by the aforementioned authors as well as for reviews of their work. Any student interested in narrative, history, and American culture would be a great fit for this project.
Attributes/skills/background sought in undergraduate:
I am most interested in a curious student with a willingness to learn and an interest in narrative, history, and American culture.
Mentoring Plan:
The student researcher will work 5/week on the project, including a 1-on interaction with me for at least 1 hour/week. To achieve this, I will introduce the student to various online databases and show them how to save and document these sources in secure online formats. The student will be able to conduct most of this research remotely. Once a week, the student will meet with me to discuss their progress and reflections on the work. My hope is that the students will have a chance to share their reflections on the teacher/scholar program at an English department colloquium with me in the fall semester.
Contact: 765-285-8538, RB 388