During the summer of 2013, I had the great opportunity to intern at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, NY. The Center works to advance the legacy of Robert H. Jackson. Originally a country lawyer, Robert H. Jackson went on to become a Supreme Court judge and was the Chief American Prosecutor at the Nuremberg War Trials following World War II. I found the internship through my local newspaper and with the help of ACCEL.
My summer consisted of assisting with the preservation of archive collections. I helped to organize Robert H. Jackson’s Nuremberg Papers and cataloged the Center’s extensive video archives on YouTube. I also worked closely with the Center’s archivist to research and prepare materials for an upcoming exhibit. The Center is housed in an 1860’s era mansion, and I often served as a docent for the many guests who visited. I was also able to visit the historical Chautauqua Institution to hear various lectures.
This internship helped me to enhance my knowledge of the twentieth century, WWII and its aftermath. The extensive life and legacy of Robert H. Jackson made me more aware of the ideals he stood for: justice, fairness and human decency. Anyone interested in the era in which he lived is sure to find a great deal of information while visiting the Robert H. Jackson Center.