CRAFTING FREEDOM ALONG NC 86:DISCOVERING HIDDEN HISTORY WITH MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

FAIN: HD-50784-09

Apprend Foundation (Durham, NC 27713-2219)
Laurel Sneed (Project Director: April 2009 to June 2011)

Research, needs assessment, and planning for an open-source mobile technology tour of North Carolina State Highway 86, exploring sites of significance in African American history.

This Digital Humanities Start-Up Level I proposal seeks $25,000 for planning and needs assessments to 're-version' a highway tour from the Federal Writer's Project using content from a very successful NEH Landmarks in American History and Culture workshop. This new mobile-technology-based learning experience will illuminate the rich history of African Americans along North Carolina Highway 86. A team with expertise in humanities content, digital media production, and interactive instructional design will meet to assess open source mobile technology platforms and plan how to structure the content across different platforms so that teachers, students, scholars, ordinary citizens, and museums and sites along Highway 86 can maximally benefit from the mobile tour. The white paper to be published on the Internet and presented at conferences will serve as a vital resource for educational institutions,non-profits,and others seeking to use mobile technology for highway history tours.