Nah’Shon Williams (‘26) is a sophomore, double-majoring in History and Sound for the Performing Arts with a minor in Construction Management. Recently, he spent the summer of 2023 in Philadelphia working at the African American Museum through the African American Studies and Research Center Summer Internship Program. This program piqued Nah’Shon’s interest with the opportunity to travel and learn more about a different city.
In Philadelphia, Nah’Shon dove into content related to the Museum’s exhibits, including William Still and the Underground Railroad and the Black Gospel music tradition in the city. His research focused on interpreting the different exhibits to create a palatable medium for Generation Z. Nah’Shon translated the exhibits’ subject matter for younger audiences to learn from by crafting social media content related to each exhibit. He highlighted three major Black gospel music groups: the Clara Ward Singers, the Dixie Hummingbirds, and the Davis Sisters. Nah’Shon sang the Davis Sisters’ songs with one of their nephews.
“As an African American who is passionate about his people’s history, I find that it is my job to research and discover unknown stories about Black life, bring them to light, and articulate them in a way that cultivates understanding and enlightenment.”
During his time as a researcher, Nah’Shon has had multiple dedicated mentors who guided him. His Purdue mentors, Dr. Cornelius Bynum in African American Studies and Dr. Ashima Krishna in the John Martinson Honors College, pushed him to further his knowledge and research potential. Nah’Shon shared that his off-campus mentors, Stephanie McCune-Bell of the Northern Indiana Historical Society and Morgan Lloyd of the African American Museum of Philadelphia, went to great lengths to encourage his educational and professional journey by “consistently reminding [him] of the gift [he] had in doing research and encouraged [him] to follow that passion.”
Nah’Shon’s research journey started within the John Martinson Honors College Urban Matters Lab. Here, Nah’Shon studied different historical sites which grew his curiosity in investigating African-American sites by connecting his passions for history and research. He then supported the Northern Indiana Historical Society by conducting research, transcribing oral history, and talking to community members to turn one of their properties into a 1950s African American home exhibit. Beyond academics, he actively contributes to the community through his involvement in Heart and Soul Choir, serving as a Worship Leader of the Baptist Student Foundation, is the Chapter Historian for the Purdue Chapter of the NAACP, and serving on the Student Life Advisory Council.
Nah’Shon encourages students who have an interest in African-American research to join the African American Studies Research Center Summer Museum Internship Program. He shared that “not only is it self-gratifying to be a part of research that is impactful, you learn more about the things you are passionate about.” Considering his future goals, he said that this experience plays a major role in his pursuit to become a museum curator once he graduates.
Photos of the 1950s African American home property Nah’Shon worked on with the Northern Indiana Historical Society. While working there, he helped conduct research for the exhibit by interviewing community members, transcribing oral histories, and documenting historical sites around the city.
“My connections allowed me to gain great insights into the museum industry as well as further educational endeavors such as graduate school.”
As part of his research experience, Nah’Shon shared his research and work during the 2023 Fall Undergraduate Research Expo. He was thrilled during this experience because it provided an avenue for him to talk about his experiences, research, and promote the summer museum program to the Purdue community.
Undergraduate Research Blog 