This blog post was written by De’sha Wilkins ’26, a student assistant in the Library’s Special Collections unit.
Before I started as a student assistant at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Special Collections, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I had known of archival work and knew that the work is integral to preserving history and that I was very interested in the work archivists do, but as a junior majoring in Political Science: Public Policy, I wasn’t certain how closely this experience would align with my studies. That thought quickly came and went as I realized how much value it brought, both academically and personally. Working on the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) of Chattanooga records and researching the history of the WCTU showed me the powerful role women’s organizations have played in shaping policy and community support which is something that relates deeply with my field of study.
One of the most rewarding parts of the internship was learning how to transcribe historical documents. It quickly became my favorite task. It felt amazing to be able to read someone’s handwritten words that were written before I was alive! It gave me a deeper appreciation for the detail and care that goes into preserving history. At first I struggled with it as I had to relearn how to read cursive, after I relearned that skill I then had to try and understand other people’s cursive. While a bit difficult it was very fun; it felt like I was reading code. Alongside Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Working Girls Home charter of incorporation, 1889 December 5transcription, I also learned how to scan and edit documents and input detailed information into metadata records, something I had no experience with before this semester.
Detail from the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Working Girls Home charter of incorporation, 1889 December 5
My favorite document that I scanned was an article discussing the Women’s Crusade, a protest that sparked the formation of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. The article shows women wearing white bows and wielding axes, with these acts they are shown axing barrels full of alcohol. The purpose of this action was to shut down saloons. This is my favorite as it shows women getting the job done. They believed in their cause and they acted on it after trying it the nice way at first, I loved to see an image of women taking actions into their own hands.
What stood out the most to me about this internship was the environment and the vast amount of knowledge. It was a place where people genuinely seemed happy in their work and invested in keeping history alive. This experience has confirmed for me that internships aren’t just about narrowing down your career, they’re also about discovering what kind of environments you thrive in and what kind of work truly excites you. This was an eye opening experience and I loved every moment of it. I look forward to using the skills I learned from this internship!
Description and digitization support for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of Chattanooga records collection was provided by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission distributed by the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board.