The Old Barracks Museum (OBM) is seeking a Research consultant to investigate Black and Indigenous soldier participation during the Battle of Trenton. The findings will be used in an upcoming OBM exhibit and other educational programming for the celebration of the Semiquincentennial of the United States.

Please submit proposals in response to this RFP by January 20, 2023, to skirk@barracks.org with the subject line “RFP Proposal”

 

Project Overview

In preparation for the Semiquincentennial of the United States of America, the Old Barracks Museum (OBM) will research, plan, and install an exhibit exploring the diversity amongst the people who experienced the Battle of Trenton. This battle was a turning point in the American War of Independence but is often told from the point of view of a white male, usually a soldier. For this exhibit, the OBM will focus on identifying underrepresented individuals, where possible, and sharing their stories. The concentration will be on women and civilians, as well as Black, Indigenous, and German soldiers. The first step to achieving this project is the necessary but time-consuming research, specifically on the two groups with the least amount of known information: Black and Indigenous soldiers.

 

Researcher Qualifications

• A Master of Arts in History or a closely related field or at least five years of professional experience researching and writing on the Revolutionary War, Black History, or Indigenous History.
• Knowledge of proper archival material handling.

 

Scope of Project

This project will be broken down into two phases. The first phase will involve analyzing the units at the Battle of Trenton and identifying any individual free or enslaved Black and Indigenous soldiers. In the second phase the Researcher will further investigate those individuals to learn about their military and life experiences. The project will be cumulated into a research report presented to the Executive Director and Curator of the Old Barracks Museum. This information will be crucial in developing the Semiquincentennial exhibition and associated programming.

The research report should include:

• At least twenty-five typed pages in Times New Roman 12-point font, 1” margins, on letter-sized paper.
• A list of all identifiable Black and Indigenous soldiers at the Battle of Trenton (done to the best of your abilities).
• Outlines on all discovered information about each soldier.
• A fully annotated bibliography.
• Footnotes in Chicago citation.
• Digital copies of all primary sources (with permission from the archival institution or organization).
• Permission for use of images in the research report.
• All notes, resources, and project elements on an external hard drive provided by the OBM.

 

Project Schedule

The Researcher will be expected to begin work in March 2023 and submit the research report by December 10, 2023. The Researcher and Curator of the Old Barracks Museum will meet monthly to review progress. The first research report draft will be due in August 2023, the second in November 2023, and the final report is due by December 10, 2023

 

Proposal Submissions

The proposals should supply sufficient information to allow the OBM to determine the most qualified researcher for the project. Applicants should submit a written proposal including the following:

• Name of the individual, address, email, and phone number.
• A curriculum vitae.
• Description of relevant education and experience demonstrating knowledge of the Revolutionary War, American, African American, or Indigenous histories.
• Information on similar projects. Include dates, work schedules, project budgets, and timelines.
• A short explanation of how you would approach the project and accomplish the desired goals.
• Three professional references.

All proposals must be received by January 20, 2023. Proposals must be submitted via email in electronic format (MS Word or PDF) to Sarah Kirk, Curator at skirk@barracks.org, with the subject line “RFP Proposal”

 

Available Funding

The stipend for the Researcher is $34,000 with $3,500 for travel expenses and archival fees.

 

Questions

Respondents are invited to submit written questions requesting clarifications or explanations of the information contained in this RFP. Please direct all proposal or contract-related questions to Sarah Kirk, Curator at skirk@barracks.org.