South Carolina African American Heritage Commission (SCAAHC) Summer 2025 Internship Announcement

Position Summary: The SCAAHC, an “at will” equal opportunity employer, provides a learning opportunity about Historic Preservation to a graduate student for the summer.  

The intern will work closely with the SCAAHC, the African American History Consultant, and Archives staff to research and promote sites, groups, and activities pertaining to African American History in South Carolina.  

Salary: $15.00 /hour 

Work Location: On-site at SC Department of Archives & History, 8301 Parklane Rd. Columbia, SC 

Position Classification: Temporary/Part-time /Internship  

Duration: Between 8 and 10 weeks; flexible start date

Hours: 28 hours per week (some flexibility of scheduling available). 

Responsibilities as an Intern:
Learn about African American heritage and culture in South Carolina
Conduct research that supports SCAAHC projects, including :
The Green Book publication,
Historical Marker support,
National Register of Historic Places nominations, etc.
Website content development
Network with individuals/organizations across the state that promote African American history
Create and review academic writing pieces that can lead to publication
Routine check-ins with supervisor to ensure deadlines are met
Other duties that may be assigned based on the needs of the Commission
Educational Value to Intern 
Communication and relationship building
Content creation and storytelling
Understanding of historic preservation programs
Experience in using Archives (online and in-person)
Experience in field of Public History

Qualifications: 
Required  
Current Graduate Student or Recent College Graduate
Experience in research using archival, museum, or other academic resources
Experience writing academic/research papers
Excellent communication (verbal and written) and time management skills
Ability to use Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Access, etc.)


Preferred 
Basic understanding in social media management
Interest / coursework in History and Historic Preservation
Experience in conducting historic oral interviews
Work cooperatively with staff and experience working with the public

How to Apply:
Send the following documents to Ayanna Goines, agoines@scdah.sc.gov with the subject line: “SCAAHC Internship” Materials due by April 10, 2025. 

Current Resume 
Cover Letter: Why are you interested in the internship? What do you hope to gain? What skills do you have that make you a good candidate? 
Letter of Recommendation: Must be from someone familiar with your academic or professional background 

Interested candidates may submit an optional writing sample (no more than 4 pages) 

Selected applicants will be asked to participate in a telephone/virtual interview.

Note: The Commission reserves the right to only respond to candidates if there is an interest in perusing the candidate further. 

About the SC African American Heritage Commission 
The movement toward recognizing the importance of preserving this cultural richness led to the passage of a joint resolution of the General Assembly in 1993 that established the South Carolina African American Heritage Council and to its establishment as a commission in 2001 by executive order of Governor Jim Hodges. The mission of the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission (SCAAHC) is to identify and promote the preservation of historic sites, structures, buildings, and culture of the African American experience in South Carolina, and to assist and enhance the efforts of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The 15-member commission includes representatives from all regions of the state.   

About SC Department of Archives & History 
The mission of the Department of Archives and History is to preserve and promote the documentary and cultural heritage of the state through archival care and preservation, records management, public access, historic preservation, and education.