Oral History Initiative Internship

NOTE: Applications submitted through Handshake will NOT be considered.

Part-Time Hybrid Internship

$425/week

June 8 – August 28, 2026

Desired Majors and Areas of Study: African American Studies, History, Drama & Theatre Arts, Communication & Media Studies, Journalism, Sociology, Museum Studies, Documentary/Film, Radio, Television, Media, Anthropology, Creative Writing, Cultural & Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy/Ethics, Visual & Performing Arts, Liberal Arts

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is dedicated to documenting and celebrating African American history and culture. Located in Washington, DC we are the only national museum that tells the American story through the African American lens. The museum amplifies voices too often marginalized or silenced—and uplifts the African American experience of hope and resiliency, of struggle and pain, of triumph and joy. One of the Museum’s most powerful tools for giving voice to the African American experience is our Oral History Initiative, which is dedicated to documenting, interpreting, and preserving the African American experience through the medium of oral history. 

The Oral History Intern will support the Oral History Initiative at the NMAAHC by working on the processing of oral history interviews for our ongoing projects, such as the Founding Council Oral History Project and research for upcoming project. This internship is designed to provide an introduction to professional oral history work in a museum setting, and the intern will develop their verbal, written, and professional skills. Each assigned duty will help with the development of skills needed to succeed in a museum setting. The coordinator of the Oral History program will mentor the intern in maintaining records, conducting background research for interviews, completing required documentation and conducting interviews. The Oral History Intern will also be able to observe how oral history projects are carried out from conception to implementation, including research, developing questions, contacting interviewees, gathering metadata, and writing field notes and interview descriptions. 

The Oral History Initiative Intern can expect to learn about the process of collecting oral histories from inception to actual accession of oral history interview; how to write a justification and bring an item into the museum’s collection; gain experience creating transcripts, writing summaries of oral history interviews; become familiar with the process of recording oral histories via film and with ethical standards of collecting oral histories as upheld by the Oral History Association; and experience different ways of integrating oral history content into exhibitions and programming.

The intern shall possess a background or interest in the study of African American history and culture. The Oral History Initiative team is a highly collaborative, team-oriented group focused on collecting oral history content for use by Museum staff, scholars and the general public. The applicant should have strong oral and written communication skills, be able to work well in both group settings and on their own, and interest in the relationship between memory, the oral tradition and historical interpretation. Prior experience in oral history is not required.

Duties shall include:

• Attending mandatory training
• Preparing background research for interviews
• Writing justifications for Collections Committee
• Collecting oral history documentation forms
• Writing summary of interviews and producing transcripts and/or indices
• Observing oral history interviews