Participate

Vote

Student-run voter registration drives, organized by Maryland PIRG, will be set up at every event attached to the initiative. These drives will focus on the responsibility to exercise the right to vote.

Attend Events

Departments across the University have organized events to explore the link between public education and the formation to the citizen from a range of perspectives. We invite you to tweet before, during, and after these events: #dtnumd

Public History Research Project

A public research initiative is also part of this initiative. As part of the assigned work for their courses this fall, 750 students will be invited to develop 60-second audio files that tie the history of University landmarks and artifacts to the history of the University itself. These clips can be accessed via smart phone technology and link to the initiative web site. These files will be archived at Hornbake Library and become part of a future app that will be used in campus tours.

The goal of this project is to create a microhistory of a campus location and then link that history to the university’s goal of forming a particular kind of citizen for that time.

  1. Pick a place or object on campus that has historical resonance. We are most interested in addressing a wide range of the groups served and excluded by our institution. Cast your net wide and be creative. You could select one of the following questions or come up with one of your own. Focus your project on the location on campus that is associated with your question:
    • What does research tell you about the significance of this landmark and the public it served?
    • What does it say about who is or is not a citizen?
    • How did it contribute to democracy or ideas of citizenship at UMD in that historical moment?
    • Who is memorialized in this space and forgotten as a result of this history?

Instructions for Submission

  1. Type up a script for your 60 second audio clip. Make sure the clip ends with, “Democracy Then and Now: Vote!”
  2. Record your audio file in mp3 format. (Audacity, available at www.audacity.com is a good option, however, you can use any equipment that renders a clear recording.)
  3. Find or take a high resolution photo of your location.
  4. Send your typed up script, photo, and your audio file to Justine Decamillis: jdecamil@umd.edu.
  5. In order to be considered for the university archives, make sure you fill out and submit the release form (PDF).