A bulk of the research for my project came from Robert Tucker’s book, The History of Elsmere. This recently published book allowed for me to have a first person account and historical reference to the experiences of African-Americans in Glassboro over time. His book goes in depth into details that I was not able to include in my imagined mural project, and I urge everyone to read his book if they have the means to do so as it was eye opening in helping me understand the complicated racial history of Glassboro. 

Several other research questions that I had stemmed from my previous classes and databases online, because my prior historical knowledge sparked my interest in this topic. With the help of Jackie Tartaglione of the Glassboro Historic Society, and other members who came to visit our Cultural Geography class, I was able to get assistance on my guiding questions that I would later find answers to in Robert Tucker’s book. Jackie and I spoke for thirty minutes about different diverse aspects of Glassboro, and the conversation gave me insight on where I wanted to go with my project in its early stages. My professor Dr. Jennifer Kitson and members of the Digital Scholarship Center at Rowan University helped to organize these interviews with members of the Glassboro Historic Society. 

I think the value of my imagined mural could be a stepping stone for other projects intended to help bring light to minority communities in Glassboro. There were countless stories and avenues that my research showed me, and I hope that in future projects other students may examine these topics more thoroughly and detailed. My project also allowed me to compile research in a place that I live and is close to me. Instead of this being a historical project, I was able to include deeper aspects of cultural geography that will remain relevant in the present day. I hope that other students at Rowan University find as much interest in this project as I did while organizing it.