Student Spotlight: Kristine Farley
Internship at the Louis Armstrong House Museum
This past summer (2010) I was fortunate enough to have the experience of interning at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens. Originally, it was only to gain experience in historic preservation, to get some background on how museums evolved and functioned, and to have a fun way to spend my summer. What I found was a house that was frozen in time and as warm and inviting as the man himself. I gained an understanding of a twentieth-century icon who saw past the color barrier by working with black and white bands and audiences – a man who saw himself, first and foremost, as an entertainer. His work helped to create jazz as a uniquely American art form and to develop current American music. Through my work at the museum, I enjoyed the opportunity to give guided tours and aid in the preservation of a Historic Landmark and a man whose trumpet helped change American culture.
