Omeka is a platform that seems to be both a combination and synthesis of a lot of what we’ve discussed and worked on throughout this semester. It allows for a diversity in project creation and sharing. It allows one to truly curate a given space of one’s own design. A prime example of this synthesis is the “Colored Conventions Project.”
The “Colored Conventions Project” is a site dedicated to the organizing of African Americans during nineteenth-century America. Taken from the site’s main page, the project notes, “A cornerstone of Black organizing in the nineteenth century, these “Colored Conventions” brought Black men and women together in a decades-long campaign for civil and human rights.”
The project allows one to search through their records and view various exhibits that are curated utilizing said records. Scrolling down the main page, one can view “Featured Exhibits” to get a better look at some of the projects that truly represent the mission and purpose of this site. Some featured exhibits include: “Equality Before the Law: California Black Convention Activism, 1855-1865”; “The Meeting That Launched a Movement: The First National Convention”; and “The Fight for Black Mobility: Traveling to Mid-Century Conventions.” In addition to records and exhibits, there is also a section dedicated to helping teachers incorporate this project into their classrooms. It can enhance virtual learning. One can even become a Teaching Partner with the project (information about this can be found under the “Teaching” tab).
Of the different digital tools and platforms we have analyzed throughout the semester, Omeka seems to be the most user-friendly, particularly for the viewer/user interface. On the other end, the site creator end, as is not surprising, it is more complex. I’m not great at figuring out how to use a lot of these tools, however, because of its expansiveness and ability to hold and do so much, it is a more favorable platform to use to share digital humanities (and other related) projects.
Amber Sophia 