Background: This paper describes a project- funded by an internal fellowship- to develop educational materials focused on describing and discussing the historical development of modern ideas about and, particularly, ideas about biological differences between races and how those differences are believed to influence health and wellbeing. This funding allowed for research in four archives whose collections include a focus on eugenics, and19th century theories on race and racial origins. Information on other topics was accessed through digitized archival collections & other online sources, and published materials filled in gaps. This portion of the project also focused more on ideas about race, ethnicity, health, and illness in America and explored ideas developed through immigration, African slavery, imperialism and other areas.
Description: This project developed a comprehensive list of topics that could be covered in 500 words, and that could be covered chronologically, or topically, thus providing individuals choices as to how they can delve into the material. Upon completion, the material will be available in an online database with an organizational tree further enabling users to envision how they can select particular topics as well as understand how ideas developed because of specific interactions with disease, needs to justify continuing enslavement, spread of European settlement, to control or limit immigration, access to political power, fear of change, and other factors that can drive how individuals and their societies react to how their world develops. The impetus for creating this project was the lack of educational materials that were comprehensive but focused so their overall relationship and structure was understood and students could see how they were all related to one another. This project also works with students and individuals who want to research and write on topics and contribute to the project, and develops to provide material for doctors, medical students, other healthcare providers and students, and undergraduates interested in the topic.
Conclusion: This project outcomes will include the web based program that facilitates use by healthcare providers, students, and instructors, as well as outreach to courses, and development of a libguide to provide information on digitized archival collections, image collections, and databases, as well as physical archive collections available for further research on the topic. Outcomes will include measure of usage of the materials and the libguide and engagement with student researchers and writers.
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