For the second summer, two Nieves Memorial Mellon Scholars worked for partner organizations, supporting them in their mission of creating experiences around community histories, with a focus on community archiving, social justice, and oral and digital storytelling. 

At the end of the summer, the two scholars and master’s students, ThankGod C. Ahumibe and Cassidy Loft, reflected on their experiences. During his internship with the Black Heritage Trail New Hampshire, ThankGod C. Ahumibe, a master’s student in English, worked closely with Executive Director, JerriAnne Boggis, and Operations Manager, Gina Bowker, to support a website redesign. His primary role was editing, reorganizing and formatting the “New Hampshire Black History Stories” collection, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for researchers and community members. He says: 

“Post-internship, I believe I am better trained and guided in research and interpretation in public history practice. I intend to continue to pursue future public-facing community engagements that allow participants to learn and unlearn from research and the lived experiences of one another.” 

Gina Bowker praises Ahumibe’s work saying: 

“ThankGod’s thoughtful attention to detail helped us to create a collection that stands as both a scholarly tool and a welcoming entry point for anyone eager to explore the often overlooked African American history in the Granite State.”

Cassidy Loft, a master’s student in Public History, partnered with the Cheshire and Peterborough Historical Societies to research and highlight Black patriots of New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region who fought in the Revolutionary War. She organized and cleaned complex datasets in Airtable, created an ArcGIS Interactive Heat Map (not yet published) and narrative StoryMap, and developed interactive visuals that preserve, contextualize, and share these important histories as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. As Loft explains: 

“Through these maps I hope to share insight into the legacies of the Black patriots of the Monadnock Region and how interweaved they are in our history as a country. I have worked to make these stories both reliable and engaging for researchers, educators, and the broader public. While challenges remain and further research is needed, the progress made demonstrates the importance of preserving and amplifying these narratives. These will eventually be published in a cohesive website completed by late March 2026.” 

Reckonings is delighted that support from the Mellon Foundation will allow future Nieves Memorial Mellon Scholars the experience of being mentored by community partners, while contributing to their mission of telling innovative community histories.