Title: Materiality, Privacy, and Silence in the Diary of Charlotte Forten Grimke
Department: English
Description: This project will explore the diary genre conventions of privacy and silence in The Diary of Charlotte Forten Grimke. This project will investigate both the manuscript journal at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center and the edited journal edition, in order to understand the role that materiality plays in the privacy of Grimke's diary. While contemporary research has just begun to focus on Grimke, the 19th century African-American poet and abolitionist school teacher, as a historical figure, her work has either been separated from the diary or altogether disregarded. This project will instead put emphasis on the diary as a genre to understand how Grimke used the materiality and conventions of the diary. The goals of this project are to discuss the diary as a genre, with its own conventions, and put her in conversation with other black women writers. The product will be an in-depth understanding of Grimke's life's work and relevance in American literature.
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
Advisor: Jennifer Putzi
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