Exploring the Rich History of Early Migrants in Arkansas: A Presentation and Launch of the Digital Humanities Website ‘Mapping Unheard Migrant Voices’

The Italian Program, in collaboration with the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures, has been working on a research project since 2019 to celebrate early migration into the state of Arkansas. Professors Ryan Calabretta-Sajder (Italian), Kathleen Condray (German) and Linda Jones (French & the Quapaw Nation) embarked on a journey to recreate the past for future generations.

The team secured an Arkansas Humanities Council Grant to work on “Mapping Unheard Migrant Voices in Arkansas,” an interactive Digital Humanities website that allows users to dive into the rich history of French, German, Italian and Quapaw people in the state. The project highlights the cultural significance of each group’s footprint in Arkansas.

The event will begin with a presentation by Italian major Alessandro Palazzuoli-Bevilacqua, who completed an internship at the Tontitown Historical Museum as part of his studies with the Italian Program. This is the first time an Italian student has officially completed an internship in the U.S., and he has been collaborating on a new exhibit at the museum.

Parking is available onsite, and attendees should use the main entrance to City Hall and not enter through either the police department or museum entrances. The event is free and open to everyone, and questions can be directed to Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, associate professor of Italian and section head at calabret@uark.edu.