Although this project was my brainchild (see Ivy Schweitzer’s Reflection for January Week 1-7 or 1:1), it has benefited from the passion and imagination of a host of fellow poetry lovers and folks who grasped my aspirations for it. I was fortunate to have been able to teach a junior colloquium titled “The New Emily Dickinson: After the Digital Turn” twice in Fall and Winter 2017 at Dartmouth College. The students in those classes substantially deepened my understanding of Dickinson and boldly embraced this digital project. Many aspects of their research were incorporated into the present form and content of the weekly blog posts. These are created and researched by the project’s team, as a group effort, unless specified with specific attributions.
I would specifically like to thank Victoria Corwin and Raul Rodriguez, both alums of the course and my “presidential scholars” (two term research assistants) for the project, who helped me think through important questions. Victoria, I loved our “homework” assignments. Thanks to Laura Braunstein, Digital Humanities Librarian at Dartmouth, and especially Scott Millspaugh, Instructional Designer at Dartmouth, whose input and continued support and friendship are invaluable. Jay Satterfield, our wonderful Head of Special Collections at Dartmouth, taught me and my students how to “read” first editions of Dickinson (and Whitman) and recognize monotropa uniflora and its significance to the poet. Wendel Cox, History and Literature librarian at Dartmouth, has been a great resource for resources; he knows (and loves) his periodicals.
Marianne Hirsch, ever my mentor and guide, listened with her brilliant mind and generous heart and made crucial suggestions. Renée Bergland facilitated my entry into the world of Dickinson studies and shared her deep knowledge of the poet and scholarship about her.
Barbara Will, Associate Dean for the Humanities, believed in and supported this project with a Wilson Senior Faculty Fellowship.
Thanks also to Graziella Parati, director, and to the Leslie Center for the Humanities at Dartmouth for crucial funding.
Chris Strenta, financier extraordinaire, helped me figure out how to get a year off from teaching to accomplish the project. Profound thanks to Harriette Yahr, Dartmouth ’87, filmmaker, writer, creative juggler and fellow free spirit, who helped make the website come alive. And always, to Tom Luxon, guru of the Milton Reading Room, my dh inspiration, and Moondust captain: “ready about”!