Mapping the History and Memory FOR and WITH the Whitely Community in Muncie

The Whitely Community is a traditionally African American neighborhood in Muncie that, from a historical point of view, has not been “on the map”, both literally and metaphorically. The aim of this interdisciplinary immersive learning project is to produce paper and virtual maps together with the neighborhood association and the broader community to tell personal histories of Whitely in time and space. Special emphasis is given to so-called story maps that combine individual accounts, memories of place, images, and videos and allow map users to navigate through the past and present of the neighborhood.

The aim of this immersive learning project (GEOG434, Spring 2022) was to engage with members of the Whitely Community in Muncie to collect information about is history and culture. The classes were both student- and community-driven and took place off-campus at the Greater Mount Calvary Church in Muncie. The map projects were discussed with the community partners. Students had to go outside their comfort zone and think outside the box to collect information and transform their findings into visual narratives. The final products (online maps, printed maps, and other visual material) will be delivered to the community for further editing and use.

Geography 434: Maps, Environment, and Society

Faculty Mentor: Jörn Seemann, Department of Geography an Meteorology 

Ethan Smart, Hannah Simmons, Morgan Toschlog, Lily Whitehurst, Robert Dorbritz, Ky'Lie Garland-Yates, Nathaniel Grigsby, Lydia Hale, Branson Koons, Ryker Kuntz, Jackson Longenbaugh, Kelsey Norwalk, William Privett, Blake Shanayda