Project Title: Emmett Till Summer Academy 2026

Position Title: Emmett Till Summer Academy Intern

Department: Education

Salary Range: $17.00 per hour

Position Summary:

The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute is seeking interns to support our Summer Academy program in collaboration with the Chicago History Museum.  Two internship tracks are being offered to create a new opportunity to engage the legacy of the Emmett Till story, creating responsive art in one track and video interviews in the other.

From July 7 to July 30, the interns will explore the compelling Emmett Till narrative in the context of truth gathering, social justice, and media, through group discussions, live and video-recorded presentations, review of Chicago History Museum exhibitions and a curated field trip to sites of memory in the Chicago area. This five-week Summer Academy is being produced in collaboration with the Till Institute, Facing History and Ourselves and CHM.

Participating interns in the Summer Academy also may qualify for “Spring Break in Mississippi” in 2027 to witness a reenactment of the historic murder trial in the restored Tallahatchie County Courthouse where the original case of the lynching of Emmett Till was tried in 1955.  The reenactment will be produced by the Till Institute and the theatre group Collaboraction and will provide an opportunity for interns to render the final verdict in the case.

Successful applicants will have an opportunity to meet with museum workers, historians, artists, journalists and other public figures to learn the truth about Emmett Till (including new revelations based on the most recent FBI investigation) and to consider the impact and power of multimodal documentation.  In addition to revealing facts about this story, key takeaways will be enhanced critical thinking and media literacy skills, and a deeper appreciation of social justice vocabulary and impacting storytelling techniques in art and media. 

During the internship, interns will:

• Review key elements of the Emmett Till story through personal narratives and primary source materials

• Connect with people closest to Emmett Till including his family and friends

• Tour museum exhibitions

• Art track interns will learn art-making techniques from an acclaimed Chicago-based teaching artist

• Media track interns will learn research, interviewing, and storytelling techniques from an award-winning journalist and university faculty

• Improve their research, interviewing and public presentation skills

• Receive the hourly stipend!

Internship Basics:

• Internship Period: July 7 – July 30, 2026

• Internship Workdays: Tuesdays - Thursdays each week from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

• Internship Location: The Chicago History Museum 1601 N. Clark Street, Chicago IL 60614

Qualifications:  

• Between the ages of 16 and 18, by start date, achieving sophomore, junior, or senior high school rank by fall term, 2025

• Interest in learning about Emmett Till, narrative techniques, media, museums, museum education, history and civic engagement

• Strong communications skills

• Ability to work collaboratively and meet deadlines

• A valid state or school ID

• Full vaccination against COVID-19 

• Legal status on an I-9 form 

• Basic background check

Working Relationships:  

Interns will work with members of the education and curatorial departments, local teaching artists and educators, and other staff members at the Chicago History Museum