Summer 2018 at the Newseum

By Dean’s Intern Tessa Ann Stewart at the Newseum

Within my first few weeks at the Newseum this summer, I helped write and produce my very first exhibit! On the third floor railing, there is a 13-panel exhibit showcasing the works of the Pulitzer Prize editorial cartoon winner. I was given the opportunity to update the exhibit for the 2018 winners, Jake Halpern and Michael Sloan. Their winning piece, “Welcome to the New World,” details the true experiences of a Syrian refugee family as they enter America on Election Day 2016 and adjust to their new lives. This heartbreaking but hopeful story is a captivating read. But it is even more compelling after researching and writing about how the comic series came to life.

I worked with my bosses, Christy and Patty, to learn the Newseum’s style for exhibit writing and helped to craft the storytelling of this panel. I am so grateful to learn hands-on how to engage with material and create something that is intriguing and educating. The panel went up the week before SCOTUS ruled in favor of Trump’s travel ban, which adds new meaning and urgency to this exhibit. Amidst this project, I have been researching, fact-checking, and copy editing for the upcoming, “Rise Up: Stonewall and the Gay Rights Movement” exhibit opening next year. Through this experience, I have discovered a passion and appreciation for exhibit development as it aims to immerse visitors into a narrative structure that informs and inspires.