Sources: Rymonda Davis, rymondad@k-state.edu;
and M.J. Morgan, 785-532-0380, morganm@k-state.edu
Pronouncer: Rymonda is ruh-mahn-duh
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-6415.
Video Available. Access at http://www.k-state.edu/media/audio/podcasts/devscholars.mov
Download information is available at http://www.k-state.edu/media/audio/podcastindex.html
News release prepared by: Kristin Hodges, 785-532-6415, khodges2@k-state.edu

Monday, Dec. 15, 2008

K-STATE FRESHMAN RESEARCHES, HELPS TO PRESERVE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN

MANHATTAN -- The memories and stories of African-American women are the focus of a research project by a Kansas State University student.

Rymonda Davis, freshman in pre-journalism and mass communications, Fort Worth, Texas, has been interviewing older African-American women from the Manhattan area in a historical context to investigate storytelling and the importance of strong, matriarchal figures in African-American communities.

"When people are doing research, they typically get on the Internet or look in books, but what we don't realize is that it's right in front of our faces," Davis said. "You can talk to your grandmothers and your mothers about things and you'll find out so much. It's amazing what you can learn from people."

M.J. Morgan, a K-State assistant professor of history and Davis' project mentor, said Davis is investigating how the women tell their stories and how their stories support findings in social sciences.

"Rymonda's project has critical importance historically because so little original research has been carried out on Kansas African-Americans," Morgan said. "In addition, the people who have what Rymonda has called 'the unrecorded history' in their heads -- these people are quite old now. Every interview, talk and discussion with them is immensely valuable."

Morgan is mentoring Davis through K-State's Developing Scholars Program, which pairs underrepresented students with faculty mentors to work on research projects.

Davis said her family relationships are what gave her the idea for the project.

"I'm very close with all the women in my family -- my mother, my grandmother and all my aunts," Davis said. "I was really interested in learning about African-American history and the relationships among women. I already knew that women were the primary caregivers in the community, and African-American women to me are symbols of strength because in history they've always been very strong."

Davis contacted two women living in Manhattan and built a relationship with them through several interviews. Though she had no prior experience interviewing sources, she said it didn't take long for her exuberant personality to make the women feel at ease.

"It feels like we're a family now, and they're all so different," she said. "I think they're comfortable with me. I've developed relationships with these women and I actually care about them."

During the interviews, Davis talked to the women about their relationships with their grandmothers and daughters, and their experiences with racism and segregation. When listening to the women's stories, Davis realized that her close-knit family is not something everyone has. She said she thinks she has always taken her relationships with her family for granted -- until now.

"When these women I'm interviewing were children, they were always expected to stay in their place," Davis said. "Their grandmothers didn't talk to them very much about what was going on in the family. But, their grandmothers were very strong, and you could tell that they admired them."

Davis is completing the first part of the project as a requirement for her Kansas African-American History class this semester. She will conduct more interviews to continue the rest of the project next semester for the Developing Scholars Program.

"This project is multifaceted and complex. Rymonda is very tenacious, however. She wants to be a journalist, and she should, because she writes beautifully," Morgan said. "She is researching theoretical material that is in some cases graduate level. And she is not alone in her ability to handle challenging, idea-laden concepts. K-State undergrads are some of the sharpest students I've had the privilege to teach."

In April 2009, Davis will present her complete project as part of the Developing Scholars poster presentations.

Eventually Davis wants to be a print journalist, but she is considering also majoring in public relations and working for a nonprofit organization.

Davis received K-State's Edgerley-Franklin Urban Leadership Scholarship and is a member of Diverse Mass Communicators. She is a 2008 graduate of R.L. Paschal High School, Fort Worth, and the daughter of Vaunya Davis.