UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Patrice R. Green, curator for African American collections at Penn State University Libraries, has been selected as an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow for Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage (RBS-Mellon CH Fellowship) by the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia.
Green joins the 2022-24 cohort of 15 fellows, chosen from a highly competitive field of applicants by a selection committee of leading cultural heritage professionals, and will participate in a three-year program designed to advance culturally diverse collections through innovative and inclusive curatorial practice and leadership, fostering new models for diverse and inclusive cultural heritage programming.
“As the inaugural Curator for African American Collections, Patrice leads collaborative efforts to build, steward, and engage with the Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora; the Black History and Literature Collection; and many other works documenting Black voices across Penn State’s special collections,” said Jennifer Meehan, head of Eberly Family Special Collections Library, located within Penn State University Libraries. “The RBS-Mellon CH Fellowship affords Patrice a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills, build a professional network and community, and participate in critical conversations about reparative and respectful curatorial practice.”
Green holds a master of arts degree in public history and a master's in library and information science (M.L.I.S.) from the University of South Carolina and views special collections librarianship as an ideal combination of these fields. As curator for African American Collections at Penn State University Libraries, she manages the Charles L. Blockson Collection of African Americana and the African Diaspora and collaborates with the Center for Black Digital Research on projects focused on 19th- and 20th-century Black activism. She develops and stewards collections that center Black life, enhance learning experiences, and cultivate Black memory.
“We are very excited about what the future holds for Patrice as an RBS-Mellon CH Fellow and the future she will help create for Penn State University Libraries as Curator for African American Collections,” said Meehan.
More information about the Andrew W. Mellon Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage Fellowship is available.
For information about Penn State University Libraries’ Eberly Family Special Collections Library, including visitor information and accessibility options, visit the Special Collections website or call 814-865-1793.