This project known as “Baltimore Traces” is a teaching innovation that is a collaboration of multiple classes at the University of Maryland Baltimore. The media, which includes things like podcasts, digital maps, films etc. focuses on Baltimore residents and neighborhoods and is ever evolving as more aspects of the project are added. The project map they include on the website allows you to explore the different neighborhoods. There are certain tags on the map that allow you to identify different historical landmarks and events throughout Baltimore. For instance, I clicked on one part of the map, and it led me to information on the “Viva House” which is a soup kitchen and food pantry that was founded by a Baltimore couple 50 years ago. There is not only a written description but there is also a video linked to an interview of the couple. I don’t see explicit research questions, but it seems that the main focus of the project is to explore the different Baltimore neighborhoods, highlighting important things that have happened over the years in each. The map they created was made with Google My Maps, which is linked on the website should you want to create your own. I think the overall design of the website was well thought-through and easy to navigate. I can find exactly what I want to examine using the numerous sub-tabs that appear on the website’s main page, so I can imagine it is an easy tool to use for the general public.
My review was pretty similar to the review provided; in that I got the right idea about what the purpose of the project was. The review did however have more information about the aims, describing how the project specifically looked at deindustrialization, redevelopment and gentrification, which I didn’t pick up on. The review also went further to talk about the cross-institutional collaborations that made this project successful. The review also talks about how this project makes a significant contribution to Baltimore as it makes something that is very accessible for a broader audience, which I touched on in my review a bit.
