175TH Emancipation Celebration Subcommittee Issues Call for Content for Scholarly/Creative Publication
Call For 150-Word Abstracts By Friday, May 12, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Myron D. Jackson
vigatekeepers@gmail.com
(340)-277-3405
The 175th Emancipation Commitee’s Subcommittee on Research and Data Collecton today issued a call for content for a Scholarly/Creative publicaton on Virgin Islands Emancipation themes which will be published as a Special Edition of the The Caribbean Writer, a publication of the University of the Virgin Islands, this fall. The Caribbean Writer is the longest running scholarly press in the Caribbean and is an internationally refereed journal with a focus on works created by Caribbean people. “We are pleased and energized by this collaboration with The Caribbean Writer which is an internationally recognized publicaton of merit,” said Myron Jackson, Chair of the 175th Emancipaton Subcommitee on Research and Data Collecton. “This publication will extend the impact and importance of the work of the 175th Emancipation Committee beyond this year of celebration,” said Carol Burke, Chair of the 175th Emancipation Committee.
Jackson invited scholars and creatives on Virgin Islands culture and history, at-home and abroad to share their work under the overall theme of U.S. Virgin Islands Emancipation 175: The Ongoing Narratve of Freedom. “We invite them to submit scholarly papers, humanities essays, short stories, poetry, photography and printable artwork under one of the following identified subthemes:
- Historical Perspectives in Context: Local, Regional, Global Perspectives Before, During or After Enslavement
- Freedom and Social Change: Leadership: Men/Women; Access to Property: Rights and Ownership; Testimonials: Embracing Freedom on That Day – July 3 – July 5
- Cultural Identity: Community and Spirituality
- Facing the Past, Embracing the Future: Healing Generational Wounds; Migraton and Immigration; Politics and Progress; An Unfinished Project
Jackson said that scholars and creatives should first submit a 150-word typed-double-spaced abstract to vigatekeepers@gmail.com by Friday, May 12, 2023 which describes their work and identfies its content category, identfied sub-theme, topic, proposed title, scope, and importance to the overall theme of Emancipation 175: The Ongoing Narrative of Freedom. The abstracts will be reviewed and then selected scholars and creatives will be invited to submit their full work for publication. Authors and artists will be notified about their selecton by Thursday, June 1, 2023. Full submissions must adhere to the standards described below.
Descripton of Types of Content
Scholarly Papers – A research topic in the humanities topic (language, history, religion/spirituality, philosophy, art/music) – where the writer/researcher makes logical arguments based on evidence from texts and research and is required to support their presentation with facts from reputable sources. Includes Introduction/Thesis, Supporting Points and Reasons, Counter Points and Refutation, Conclusion. Paper should be reflective of one of the identified themes. (14 – 28 pages typed double spaced – 3,500 – 7000 words).
Humanities Essays – A short paper on a humanities topic (language, history, religion/spirituality, philosophy, art/music) on a very specific topic where the writer is making logical arguments based on evidence. Provides a thesis, an analysis based on evidence from texts, with an introduction that points the reader in the direction of the argument. The body is composed of a series of close, interpretive readings of passages from humanities-based texts that support the thesis. The conclusion is a thoughtful reflection/analysis on what was presented in the thesis. Essay should be reflective of one of the identified themes – (6 pages double spaced – up to 1500 words).
Short Stories – Fictonal accounts utilizing a humanities-based topic (language, history, religion/spirituality, philosophy, art/music) with the five elements of a story (character, setting, conflict, plot and theme) – that reflect one of the identified themes – up to 14 pages double spaced (3,500 words)
Short Poetry – Lyrical or rhythmical presentation of topic utilizing (language, history, religion/spirituality, philosophy, art/music) to reflect feelings, thoughts, emotions, observations that reflect one of the identified themes – (up to two pages)
Original Photography/Artwork – Visual print representation of topic regarding (language, history, religion/spirituality, philosophy, art/music) that reflect one of the identified themes. – (up to 2 pages).
“We hope that our scholars and artists will take advantage of this opportunity to explore these themes and topics and broaden and deepen the emancipation narrative of the Virgin Islands, which is ongoing and continues to inform our development as a people,” Jackson concluded.