When uncovering unanswered questions into journalism’s past, with notable interest towards the Black press in the nineteenth century, Dr. Bernell Tripp, Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Florida, has followed the advice of her mentor David Sloan: “when the puzzle pieces don’t fit together, you should question.”
We recently chatted by about the impetus of her work, her most recent research project, and how her research informs her teaching.
Q: How did you come to your area of scholarship?
A: I enrolled in a journalism history course at the University of Alabama under David Sloan. One of the key notions of the course was to ask “why do things happen?” I had a fascination with the nineteenth century during the Yellow Journalism era and started with the question of “where was the Black press?”
Q: What history-based courses have you taught and how does your research inform your teaching?
A: In my History of Journalism course at UF, I try to focus on the stories. I find that my students love hearing about the human side of history. That famous people had sex, relationships, etc. These were simply ordinary humans doing extraordinary things. At the end of each semester, students are more likely to remember why Frederick Douglass was considered a “babe magnet” in his time then memorizing dates or places of events.
Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: I am looking at some connections of the Black Press at the end of the nineteenth century. Additionally, I am expanding my scope of asking “where was the Black press?” to “where were women in the Black press?” This question has been somewhat challenging to answer because so many women used pseudonyms in their reporting. I have had to do a lot of genealogical and archival research to understand the role of Black women in a patriarchal society.
Q: What advice do you have for junior faculty?
A: Above all, enjoy what you are doing. Pick a topic that resonates with you. You will need to specialize and focus on one particular area, but do something that wakes you up in the middle of the night with new questions to ask!
Interviewed conducted by Colin Kearney, a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida and AEJMC History Division’s Graduate Student Co-Liaison.