Graphic Novel Project
An explicit and concerted goal of the project is to promote and improve people's understanding of natural, cultural, and other aspects of Fort Elizabeth.
A novel will eventually be created, the broad theme of which is untold or lesser-told chapters in Hawaiian and Russian American relationship history.
Potential topic include the Schäffer affair, early history of relationship between Hawaiians and Russians. The graphic novel will be approximately 150 pages long, richly illustrated with original drawings and selected historic photographs. It will be deeply researched and based on the best and latest scholarly research, informed by archival materials curated in NPS and Natioal Arhive collections.
The graphic novel format is a good way to connect with young readers and the style of the storytelling will be vibrant, engaging, and thought provoking, relying on first person accounts and emphasizing dramatic moments, personal challenges, and historic triumphs.
A central aim is to connect a new generation, and broad transect of Americans to Fort Elizabeth national landmark and the resources and events it preserve and commemorate. Authors has deep experience and an explicit mission focus on 1) youth programs and public education, and 2) broadening connections to public lands to diverse audiences and promoting media that reflects diverse perspectives in public land engagement—both consistent with some of the most prominent current strategic aims of the Fort Elizabeth.
This project fulfills a public purpose by assisting Fort Elizabeth in their efforts to connect people to public landmark in Waimea, to raise appreciation of resources and values of public landmark, and to foster a sense of stewardship towards these resources. One of the primary ways Fort Elizabeth achieves public education goals is through publications like the one that will be produced in the scope of this project.
Audiences of special concern to Fort Elizabeth are diverse communities and youth, both of which are addressed in the context of this project through the graphic novel medium, and the story selection, which emphasizes less-often told, and sometimes overlooked, chapters and players in Hawaii history.
An explicit and concerted goal of the project is to promote and improve people's understanding of natural, cultural, and other aspects of Fort Elizabeth. The graphic novel that will be developed is focused on history and resources in state park. Fort Elizabeth experts will participate in nearly every aspect of the publication development as team members that collaborate in selecting and refining a topic; connecting stories to state park units and resources; providing subject matter expertise in history, cultural anthropology, and natural sciences; assisting with research; identifying and accessing archival materials and images; and providing feedback on draft products.
