The Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, is accepting submissions for the Archives of American Art Graduate Research Essay Prize to be given to compelling original research using the resources of the Archives of American Art as primary evidence. Essays should focus on the holdings of the Archives of American Art, for example using a series of letters or photographs, a diary, oral history interviews or combination of primary sources to contextualize and interpret historical events from an original perspective.

The winner will receive $1000 and the essay will be published on the Archives of American Art’s website.  Essays that consider the use of interrelated, multimedia layers of information will be favored. These may include digital humanities tools, hyperlinks, mapping, and social media platforms. Indicate in the essay where you would add links, oral history clips, or other innovative features that could enhance the online presentation of the essay.

The deadline has been extended to April, 15, 2012. Further information and instructions are online at www.aaa.si.edu/essay. Direct questions and submissions to [log in to unmask]