Department of World Languages Collaborates With Tontitown Historical Museum

The Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures from the U of A will be presenting their recent research project on early migration to the state of Arkansas on at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the Tontitown City Hall, located at 235 Henri De Tonti Blvd.

The Italian Program, in collaboration with the Dept. of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures, has been working with the Tontitown Historical Museum since 2019 to celebrate early migration into the state of Arkansas. Professors Ryan Calabretta-Sajder (Italian), Kathleen Condray (German) and Linda Jones (French & the Quapaw Nation) embarked on a research journey together beginning in spring 2019 considering how to best recreate the past for the future.

The three scholars from the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures wrote a variety of grants, first to establish a "proof of concept" and then to put that concept into practice. Thanks to collaboration and support from History, English, Southern Studies, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Initiatives, and the Arkansas Humanities Center, the team won an Arkansas Humanities Council Grant to work on "Mapping Unheard Migrant Voices in Arkansas."

This interactive Digital Humanities website allows a dive into this rich history, examining the past while simultaneously learning about the cultural experiences that have remained critical for each group's footprint in Arkansas. The project includes the historical and cultural significance of the French, German, Italian and Quapaw people.

The event will open with Italian major Alessandro Palazzuoli-Bevilacqua's presentation on his internship with the Tontitown Historical Museum. Palazzuoli-Bevilacqua is the first Italian student to officially complete an internship in the U.S. with the Italian Program and has been collaborating on a new exhibit at the museum.

Parking is available onsite. We ask that you use the main entrance to City Hall and not the entrances to the police department nor the museum.

The event is free and open to the public. For any questions, please email Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, associate professor of Italian and section head, at calabret@uark.edu.