Contribute
The Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation is the vehicle through which datasets are integrated into Enslaved.org. Projects published in the Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation have been found to be historically significant and are excellent examples of best practices within the field of digital humanities. In the aggregate, the published datasets are wide-ranging in their temporal and geographical scope. The Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation is especially interested in datasets that make connections to major historical events and actors; that highlight in-depth microhistories, case studies, unique incidences; and are precise and detailed. Data articles published in the journal help researchers understand the scope and significance of the data being integrated into Enslaved.org and the methods behind assembling it.
Peer Review
Researchers often do not receive scholarly and professional credit for the expertise, time, and interpretive judgment they invest in making data accessible, discoverable, searchable, and reusable. The Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation facilitates the publication, preservation, and promotion of this work by inviting researchers to submit their datasets and accompanying data articles. The review process assures scholarly and professional recognition for databases and online project contributions. Accepted projects are published both in the Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation and on Enslaved: Peoples of the Historical Slave Trade (Enslaved.org).
Peer review for the Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation is an academically rigorous process of scholarly digital publication overseen by the editorial board, working in conjunction with invited expert reviewers from around the world. Submissions are reviewed using a similar process as journal review. Within higher education, accepted peer-reviewed publications are suitable for annual and merit reviews, as well as promotion and tenure. At the JSDP, we are pioneering the publication of datasets and accompanying data articles to the level of standard journal articles.
In-house Editorial Review
The Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation is a scholarly journal, but preserving data about slavery and those enslaved goes far beyond the work of historians based at colleges and universities. Many individuals and institutions have collected data about the lives of the enslaved and would like to see their efforts made public, acknowledged, preserved, and connected to Enslaved.org.
In-house editorial review is intended for digital publication and public circulation outside the process of academic peer review; authors can select whichever review process they prefer. Submissions for in-house editorial review are similarly vetted by the journal's editorial team and accepted or rejected based on the quality of the data, its historical significance, and its relevance to the journal. Contributors may include archives, libraries, museums, public history sites, religious organizations, or family history and genealogy collections interested in making their collections more discoverable and preserved. Genealogists, citizen historians, K-12 educators and students, independent researchers, and those who have found family records about slavery and the enslaved in their attic are all encouraged to contribute! Historians looking to submit a small dataset that doesn't warrant peer review or a dataset pertaining to publication completed a long time ago might also choose this route. We are happy to discuss which type of review is most appropriate for your contribution.
Submit
The Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation welcomes submissions from professionals affiliated with accredited institutions of higher education and cultural heritage; archivists, librarians, and data curators in the public and private sectors; religious and secular organizations; and independent researchers working on the history of African slavery and historical slave trades. Joint submission to the JSDP and Magazine of Early American Datasets (MEAD) is possible for scholars whose work pertains to early America; please indicate in your submission cover sheet if you would like to pursue this option.
Our thorough submission guide and a sample submission can be found here:
View Submission & Style Guide (.pdf) View Sample Submission (.pdf)
Cover sheet and article templates can be found here:
View Cover Sheet Template (.docx) View Article Template (.docx)
To be considered for publication, please visit our submission portal: https://ojs.msupress.msu.edu/index.php/JSDP/index.