Facing the Gulf: Learning Stories of Slavery in Galveston, 1816-1865

Take a closer look at the history of enslavement on the Texas coast with a new digital exhibit, Facing the Gulf: Learning Stories of Slavery in Galveston, 1816-1865. From Jean Laffite’s reign of piracy to the era of the Confederate government, the forced migrations, financial transactions, and labor exploitation of enslaved people in Galveston played a significant role in the development of the island city and Texas at large. Through interactive maps, images, and digitized archival materials such as ship manifests, newspaper articles, and Confederate impressment contracts, learn more about the lives and experiences of enslaved people who are often marginalized in mainstream historical narratives of Galveston.

This exhibit was created by Katelyn Landry who participated in the Galveston Historical Foundation’s 2021 Edward L. Protz Historic Preservation Internship.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE SITE

ABOUT THE EDWARD L. PROTZ HISTORIC PRESERVATION INTERNSHIP

Named in honor of Galveston preservationist Ed Protz, Galveston Historical Foundation announces the Edward L. Protz Historic Preservation Internship, supported by the Mary Moody Northen Endowment.

“We are very excited to be able to establish this terrific program to attract young men and women to the island to explore our history and architecture, to see our historic houses and commercial buildings, to climb a tall ship, to conserve valuable artifacts, to learn to make balusters for a historic porch, or analyze the next steps for historic preservation through planning or policy,” states GHF Executive Director, Dwayne Jones. “In a sense, we see this internship as a way to use Galveston as a laboratory and to build a wall of successful projects where interns learn to value history and architecture”.

Internships may draw from professional and para-professional aspects of the organization including historic preservation studies, research and documentation of historic properties, public policy and economic development initiatives, maritime studies and historic tall ship sailing, museum collections and documentation, archival planning, and craftsmanship, and historic building rehabilitation or restoration. Internships will include a stipend and/or housing and living expenses. Up to three internships may be awarded each calendar year. Applicants from historic preservation programs may submit projects, but applicants also may be working in a similar position and see this as an opportunity for building skills to improve competency in historic preservation or maritime studies. Each intern will be required to produce a final project that may be written, oral, or digital in format. Learn more about this internship here.