The Center for Black Digital Research, #DigBlk, is committed to preserving Black organizing histories in the long nineteenth century and to building future generations of Black scholars who advocate for social justice in higher education, repositories, museums, and beyond. #DigBlk is a public-facing research center committed to bringing the histories of nineteenth-century Black organizing to digital life through collaborative scholarship and project-based research. The Center is home to the award-winning Colored Conventions Project, Douglass Day, and the newly-launched LibTech.
#DigBlk provides opportunities for students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty to join our research teams and work with an interdisciplinary, cross-institutional team of 30-35 members who meet regularly on collaborative research that includes digital archive-building, crowd-sourced transcription projects, community-arts partnerships, and scholarly and digital editions.
Current Opportunities
Graduate Students
- #DigBlk Graduate Researchers (4-6 per year)
- Cooper-Du Bois Mentoring Program (annual 3-day workshop)
Faculty and Postdocs
- #DigBlk Research Associates/Post-doc Fellows (2 per year)
In addition, we can arrange to provide space for visiting scholars who would like to intern with us.
Updated 12/10/25
#DigBlk Graduate Assistantships
Overview
This program provides a graduate research assistantship with the opportunities to work with an interdisciplinary cohort including graduate student leaders, undergraduate researchers, postdoctoral fellows, librarians, IT specialists, scholars, and community and university partners from within the institution and beyond.
The Center for Black Digital Research houses the award-winning Colored Conventions Project, Douglass Day, and the Black Women’s Organizing Archive, projects committed to Black archive-building and that utilize digital methods and public engagement to introduce buried histories of Black organizing to scholarly and broader public audiences.
Packages:
- Enhanced funding
- Summer support and digital training opportunities at institutions such as DreamLab: Digital Humanities Training Institute, Digital Humanities Summer Institute (DHSI), and KeystoneDH.
- Professional development funds to advance your research and training opportunities
- Startup funds
- Intellectual community and cohort support
Activities may include:
- Regular meetings with Center staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and research assistant cohort
- Archival and digital research
- Communications and community and campus outreach
- Conference and symposium planning
- Support for public engagement and partnerships
- Building and editing digital exhibits
Application Process
At-A-Glance
OPEN TO
Incoming and current masters and PhD students
APPLICATION DATES
Recruitment: October–April
Notification: February–April
APPLICATION PROCESS
Coincides with applying to Penn State graduate programs
POSITIONS AVAILABLE PER YEAR
4-6
#DigBlk Undergraduate Researchers
Overview
Part-time hourly positions
Researcher positions support the scholarly and community activities of CBDR and the Mellon Just Transformations (JT) grant and/or work with a vibrant Administrative team that manages the day-to-day operations of innovative scholarly and public-facing work in a collective, collaborative community. These are hourly positions with 10-20 hours per week with a pay scale of $15/hour for undergraduates, $20/hour for graduate students, and $25/hour for committee chairs.
Committee member activities may include:
- Conduct research related to the Colored Conventions Project, Douglass Day, and/orLibTech as negotiated with project directors and current project needs.
- Work on special projects and events for a project for center-wide.
Event Assistant activities may include:
- Tech assistance/coordination
- Booking rooms
- Creating Zoom links for events
- Monitor registrations and send out info
- Ordering food
- Coordinating IT needs
- Additional tasks as needed to manage the CBDR offices
- Knowledge and interest in African American History
Communications and Social Media Assistant activities may include:
- Create/coordinate CBDR promotional materials, online fliers, etc.
- Work in conjunction with Event Assistant to circulate event information
- Update CBDR website
- Assist with Social Media Management (post events, etc.) with an emphasis on Twitter
- Additional tasks as needed to manage the CBDR offices
- Preferred knowledge of 19th century history and/or African American Studies
Application Process
Submit both a cover letter and CV/resume to digblk@psu.edu to be considered for the position. Please include a one page cover letter with a 250-350 word statement describing your interest in working with the Center and how your experience aligns with the position. In your cover letter, specify which position/area you are applying for.
At-A-Glance
OPEN TO
Current undergraduate, masters and PhD students
APPLICATION DATES
Fall semester: May 1
Spring semester: November 1
APPLICATION MATERIALS
- Cover letter
- CV/resume
POSITIONS AVAILABLE PER YEAR
2-6
#DigBlk Research Associates/Postdoctoral Scholars
Overview
The Center for Black Digital Research hosts postdoctoral scholars whose research aligns with a focus on Black organizing in the long nineteenth century and have experience or interests in learning about Black archive-building and digital methods.
Positions are filled through 2026. Please email Gabrielle Sutherland, Administrative Support Assistant, at digblk@psu.edu to express interest in future positions and receiving updates.
At-A-Glance
Currently filled
Related Postdoctoral Positions in the College of the Liberal Arts
Previous Positions
In 2021, the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts and the Center for Black Digital Research/#DigBlk received a $3.1 million Mellon Foundation grant to expand on existing programs and new initiatives focused on Black studies, racial justice, and diversifying academic communities and pipelines. This allowed CBDR to multiply positions within the center and all scholars receive similiar packages.