Buoyed by a partnership between RIT and the Rochester Public Library, the Rochester History journal has a new look and a growing readership. The journal’s 21st-century makeover is turning heads and winning accolades and grant funding. While the first issue published 86 years ago, the journal’s 2023 redesign and digital presence led, this March, to a prestigious award from the Association of American Publishers. Rochester History won a Professional and Scholarly Excellence (PROSE) award for “Best New Journal in Humanities and Social Sciences.” ‌ RIT Tamar Carroll, RIT history professor, is on the editorial board of the scholarly journal. “Preserving and expanding the knowledge of local history was Rochester City Historian Blake McKelvey’s goal in founding Rochester History in 1939, and that continues to be our mission today,” said Tamar Carroll, professor and chair of RIT’s department of history and journal editorial board member. The peer-reviewed journal publishes in fall and spring on a wide variety of topics and perspectives related to Rochester, Monroe County, and Western New York. It is produced by the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County in partnership with RIT, published by the RIT Press, and digitally formatted by Mason Digital. RIT won grants to enhance the journal, including $5,000 from the J.M. McDonald Foundation and $20,000 from the Rochester Area Community Foundation’s Historic Preservation Fund. The financial support funds the digital edition and a marketing campaign to increase subscribers, according to Carroll. “Our goal is to have enough subscribers to make the journal break even with the costs of producing it.” The spring issue, edited by Christine Ridarsky, Rochester City Historian, and Rebecca Edwards, RIT professor of history, published April 15. A feature article, written by Edwards, highlights the deaf community in 19th-century New York told through the life of a Black deaf man. An essay in this issue addresses the challenges of writing historical sketches, such as Edwards’, when the public record is incomplete. The journal also includes book reviews and a feature essay about a rare photograph from the Rochester Public Library’s Local History Division of a Civil War solider wearing a Zouave uniform popularized by French-Algerian infantry. Edwards will present a live-streamed talk, “Exploring the Roots of Rochester’s Deaf Community,” at 1 p.m. on May 10 at the Central Public Library, Gleason Auditorium. ‌ Provided Will Rooney is a graduating senior and RIT history major. He is the research assistant for the spring issue. “It’s a reminder of the persistent discrimination that deaf/hard-of-hearing and disabled people have faced throughout history and the importance of public services for people with disabilities, educational opportunities, and efforts to combat stigma,” Carroll said. “And that is just as relevant today as it was in the 19th century.” Research assistant Will Rooney, a fourth-year history major and graduating senior from Fairfield, Conn., created a digital story map for Edwards’ article tracing the man’s travels throughout New York and interviewed the author for a podcast available on the digital edition. Rooney’s contribution to the journal has given him insights about how professional historians work. “It has really lifted the curtain and allowed me to see how academic writing gets published and the work that it takes to create a piece of professional history writing.” Among the book reviews is a critique of Tourists and Trade by Bruce Austin, the late RIT professor of communication and former RIT Press director, who initiated the collaboration between RIT and the Rochester Public Library to publish and expand the journal. A tribute for Austin is planned for the fall issue, according to Carroll. “Bruce saw an opportunity for RIT Press to help the library by offering services that the library didn’t have access to—professional design work, copy editing, and the opportunity to have a digital edition,” Carroll said. “Also, by involving the history department we are able to give students an opportunity to work on the journal, which is an amazing professional experiential learning opportunity for them.” Become a subscriber to Rochester History for $15.50 per year. (The digital edition of Rochester History can be read for free on the RIT campus.)

Third-year marketing major Joshua Michaels wanted a place at RIT where he could perform and make music with other creatives like himself. “There is a lot of great music at RIT,” said Michaels, a Far Rockaway, N.Y., native. “But I noticed a real gap for students interested in making hip-hop and R&B—and I wanted to build a space for artists like me to grow and create community.” ‌ Provided Events like the Bars’N’Blues jam session, seen here, give students the opportunity to collaborate and build musical fellowship on campus. What started as a bold idea between a few students has grown into one of RIT’s most electrifying and purposeful communities. In just over a year, BARS—Black Artists and Records Society— has transformed into a full-fledged creative collective of over 150 members, amplifying the voices of hip-hop, R&B, and soul culture through artists, writers, and producers on campus. Michaels, along with Austin Coppedge, a fourth-year graphic design major from West Orange, N.J., and Scott Franco, a 2024 graduate of RIT’s marketing program, formed the initial group. Using a limited budget, the group utilized campus and local connections to coordinate events. “It was a lot of late nights going back and forth in our group chat together,” said Coppedge, the club’s co-vice president. “We had to get creative finding rooms to host workshops and make flyers from events. But from day one, we sold people a dream and eventually got people to buy in.” BARS has cultivated a dynamic space in a multitude of ways. The club has had a busy schedule over its first year, with notable events including production and engineering workshops, panels featuring local artists with ties to major musical acts to educate and inspire students, holiday-inspired events such as Stagefright, a spooky-themed open mic event designed to help artists overcome their fears, and tours of Rochester’s historic music scene in collaboration with RIT’s Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement. Two events stand out for the group. Last April, three months into its existence, BARS introduced Bars’n’Blues, a two-hour open jam session for musicians who want to make hip-hop and R&B music. The response was tremendous, with nearly 30 students improvising together to make music and share community. It became a pivotal moment for the club. "That night, something clicked," said Michaels. "We weren’t just a club anymore. We were a movement." ‌ Provided Members of BARS and a student group from an interactive music video experience class pose with music artist Chi TheRealest after an augmented reality concert on campus last spring. Another moment last spring was an augmented reality concert on campus, conceived from a project in the Interactive Music Video Experience class. Approached by a student group, BARS helped provide logistical support, marketing, and opening acts. Michaels, who performs under the stage name Jaykyss, opened with other RIT talents for accomplished music artist Chi TheRealist. “There’s a lot of things that go into a concert,” Michaels said. “Again, at that time we had no budget, no facilities, no operations. We barely had artists. But looking back, it was an amazing opportunity that fell into our hands. It solidified us.” To cap off this school year, the club is preparing for an upcoming spring concert, BARS Presents: The Underground. Showcasing original performances by RIT student rappers, singers, and instrumentalists, the event, which will be held at MAGIC Spell Studios, emphasizes authenticity over spectacle. “We’re the underground scene of RIT,” Michaels said. “We don’t have as much tech or instruments, but we’ve got a microphone and big speakers, and sometimes that’s all you need.” Members utilize BARS’ programing to build professional portfolios. For Coppedge, whose graphic contributions help shape the club’s visual identity, this experience is representative of RIT’s interdisciplinary spirit. “This was one of the first real projects that carried my name in a professional context,” Coppedge said. “It gives people the chance to see how we can link creative arts, music, and branding into something that shows that different majors can intertwine and really create something beautiful for the campus and community.” “At RIT, your dreams are obtainable,” said Steven Simmons, a fourth-year global business management major from Rochester and the club’s co-Vice President. “Anything is possible, but no one's going to grab your hand. You have to reach for it.”