In the summer of 2023, Natalie Riddick ‘23, a recent Loyola Marymount University graduate with a history degree, jumped at the opportunity to apply to the National Museum of African American History & Culture’s (NMAAHC) Social Justice Conversations Oral History Project internship. This pioneering initiative fosters intergenerational dialogue between young activists and civil rights veterans.
“My undergraduate experience was disrupted by COVID, and I didn’t have the opportunity to intern in person,” Riddick explained. “When I saw that NMAAHC accepted recent graduates, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to use my history degree to serve the public.”
During the fall of 2024, the project brought together young scholars, such as Riddick, with elders who played significant roles in the civil rights movement. The aim was to document their wisdom and experiences, inspiring the next generation of activists to continue the vital work of these veteran activists.
Riddick’s strong interest in using history as a tool for social justice made the Social Justice Conversations internship a natural fit for her. She worked with community organizations such as the Los Angeles Black Worker Center and UCLA CARE during her undergraduate years. These experiences deepened her commitment to advocating for marginalized histories and communities.
“There is an ongoing debate in the U.S. National Archives about how to present American history and whether to remove ‘negative’ or ‘controversial’ aspects from the narrative,” she said. “Marginalized communities often face erasure in the way American history is presented, and these oral history projects directly challenge that trend.”
During her internship, Riddick received extensive training in oral history methodology and the history of the Civil Rights Movement. “The museum itself was an invaluable resource for research. I would walk through the Civil Rights exhibit with my notebook, studying the texts and artifacts. We were also provided with a comprehensive bibliography that included books, documentaries, movies, and other oral history interviews, which helped us launch our independent research,” she said. “Visiting key sites in Washington, D.C., such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, further deepened my understanding.”
Riddick conducted two oral history interviews with prominent figures in California: Elder Daphne Muse, a social justice activist, and Dr. Harry Edwards, a renowned scholar and civil rights advocate.
“I met with Elder Daphne Muse at her home in Brentwood and Dr. Harry Edwards at San Jose State University.” Riddick noted that these conversations provided essential lessons in resilience and community-building. “One key takeaway was the significance of maintaining resilience in fighting social justice, even when progress seems slow or setbacks occur. We must remember that another generation will inherit this world from us, and we must continue fighting for the kind of world we want them to inherit one day.”
The experience culminated in Riddick’s participation in a panel at the NMAAHC, where she discussed the impact of the oral history project and the vital role of young people in continuing the work of the civil rights movement. “The panel was an opportunity to share what I had learned and to reflect on how critical it is for us to learn and teach Black history so that our stories may never be lost or forgotten,” she said.
Reflecting on how her education prepared her for the internship, Riddick highlighted the significance of her history degree, especially the oral history projects she completed at LMU. Her first oral history project involved interviewing a lawyer from Loyola Law School’s Project for the Innocent in Professor Drummond’s “Telling History in Public” class. The second project in Professor Chen’s class focused on communities, where she interviewed her former co-workers from the LA Black Worker Center about community organizing. These conversations were particularly important to her as they connected to activism and the pursuit of a just world.
Additionally, her history degree developed her research and writing skills, which contributed to her success in the internship. Beyond technical skills, studying history fostered her curiosity and analytical abilities, enabling her to formulate thoughtful and thought-provoking questions for her interviewees.
“It’s always such a joy to see students take their LMU History training and put it to work out in the world. Natalie really exemplifies what the History Department is doing with its Public and Applied History Concentration and in our program more generally – asking students to think critically about the various public uses of the past and about how the study of history can help us understand the present and imagine different, better, more just futures. And then to do that work themselves! To use their research – archival research, oral histories – to develop historical interpretations that really grapple with the complexity of history and then to present those interpretations to diverse publics. Natalie is modeling that for our current students,” said Elizabeth Drummond, associate professor of history.
Looking ahead, Riddick remains committed to public history and museum work. After her internship at NMAAHC, she interned in exhibition registration at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and is currently working as an operations coordinator for Dietl International. “Museums are vital community resources,” she said. “I want to continue telling stories that inspire change and promote social justice.”
For those interested in following a similar path, Riddick’s advice is clear: “If you want to study history, do it! Now more than ever, we need to know our history to face the challenges of our world today. Stay curious, follow your passions, and let your commitment shine through in everything you do.”
