What Remains To Be Done---A Work Plan

Given my historical timeline, it is clear that historical events of the nineteenth-century shaped the meaning and depiction of creole women of color. As a great framework for this project, multicultural feminism show how women of color identities contrast to white hegemonic masculinity or even white femininity are othered for their difference. Though creole women of color are othered in nineteenth century, white men constructed systems such as plaçages, un mariage de conscience, or the Quadroon Balls. Creole texts such as "Un Mariage de Conscience" or Old Creole Days show white and creole men of color reacting to these patriarchal white constructed systems and nineteenth-century historical events. However, it becomes clear that creole women of color are not telling their stories. As a result of nineteenth-century racial and gender constraints, creole women of color were limited in educational and publication opportunities. Readers only understand creole women of color through a nineteenth-century patriarchal lens. This project comes to show how not only nineteenth-century historical events shaped these texts, but the gender and racial constraints that influenced the depiction of Louisiana creole women in literature.

Though this digital project appears to be loaded, there is much research and technology advancement to be done to ensure a concise and rich assessment of the depiction of Louisiana Creole women in literature. It is important to note that I did not have access to some archives and special collections, which consist of rare literary texts, journals, manuscripts, and records. Rare literary texts delayed my research at some points; to maintain some type of integrity of the project itself, I declined to use some texts. Additionally, some many texts were in Louisiana creole french; I am not fluent in the dialect and was unable to translate many texts. Those texts were in Louisiana creole were also not included in this digital project. Louisiana State University was somewhat helpful, but limiting as I am not affiliated with the university and unable to access important materials for my study. However, I was able to find some open access resources that I have cited in the bibliography section of this website. Though helpful, the story-maps knight labs tool is limiting as the tool lacks the capacity for loads of data.

To complete a cohesive timeline, I would need funding and access to material crucial to the successful completion of this project. First, I would need funding for traveling; specifically, I would travel to Louisiana State University to have access to special collections and archives. From there, I would have access to rare texts and manuscripts that would need to be translated by a translator that specializes in Louisiana creole. Next, for the actual timeline, I am considering a 3-D timeline that would intensify the experience for the audience. Specifically, this 3-D timeline exhibit will be an interactive and touch-friendly interface. This timeline would mimic a 3-D interactive timeline produced by EDM studio and would be the first of its kind for this particular topic. Overall, this will be an ongoing project that will take over two years to complete and a maximum of five thousand dollars in funding.