AASLH & NCPH Simmons Center Workshop | Grad Student Summer Practicums in the Public Humanities

From September 16 through 19, 2026, the AASLH & NCPH Joint Conference (American Association for State and Local History and the National Council on Public History) took place in Providence, RI. On September 16, the Simmons Center hosted a full-day workshop entitled “Public History at the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.”

In this session, six second-year A.M. Public Humanities students gave lightning round presentations about their summer practicum experiences moderated by Prof. Elena Shih, Director of Graduate Studies, MA in Public Humanities and Associate Director of Academics at the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice. The students’ practicum experiences were hosted by the RISD Museum, Primus House/Center for Reconciliation, the Tomaquag Museum, Printed Matter (NYC), the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, and Tate Liverpool. Their presentations revolved around the community-oriented and decolonial approaches to museums, archives, curation, public programming, and moving from academic to public practice. This conference workshop was attended by public history professionals from sites such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, National Geographic Society, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, South Carolina State Museum, University of Virginia, University of Michigan, as well as many other institutions of higher education and cultural heritage institutions.

Presenting Students:

Tara Leininger was a special projects intern at Primus House/Center for Reconciliation, where she developed a program proposal for the 2027 Black press bicentennial. Her research explores how museums and cultural institutions can responsibly navigate power and community relationships. She also serves as a student ambassador for the program.

Caleigh Lyons was an archival intern at the Tomaquag Museum in Exeter, Rhode Island. Her research explores indigeneity and queerness in activating the archive, and she is currently gathering trans and non-binary oral histories of Rhode Island with the Queer Stories Project.

Ivie Orobaton completed a practicum in the contemporary art department at the RISD Museum. They made their curatorial debut with Port Cities and Our Present: Sites of Remaking, on view at the Simmons Center Gallery, and hope to pursue a Ph.D. in history.

Jovanna Walker completed her practicum at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool. Her research explores museums as venues for freedom dreaming and collective liberation, and she co-directs the Simmons Center's carceral studies reading group.

Alijah Webb completed her practicum at the International Slavery Museum and Tate Liverpool. She was Program Associate at the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, co-founded Perennial Mag, and leads craft workshops in Providence through Cutest Craft Club.

Jun Ying Wen held a joint bibliographic and programming role at Printed Matter, an artist bookstore and nonprofit. Her research looks at print and publishing as sites of knowledge production from the margins.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
1:28 - Tara Leninger
7:00 - Caleigh Lyons
12:57 - Ivie Orobaton
18:36 - Jovanna Walker
26:16 - Alijah Webb
32:03 - Jun Ying Wen
37:20 - Student Q&A