New History Coordinator Joins Jacksonville Historical Society Staff

Jacksonville FL

05 March, 2021

8:32 PM

Description

From The JAX Chamber: March 4, 2021 The Jacksonville Historical Society recently hired Paul Bourcier to serve as the nonprofit's new Music History Coordinator. Alan J. Bliss, Ph.D., and chief executive officer for the JHS, stated he and the Board of Directors welcome Bourcier's expertise in helping to implement the music history museum project, which was announced to the public in June 2020. "One of the primary duties of this new position is to refine a mission and vision for the music history museum, including a well-articulated collections development plan and a set of goals for exhibits and programming," said Bliss. "By engaging Paul in this role, the Jacksonville Historical Society is well positioned to execute its intent to bring a first-class music museum to our city, where the roots of many musical genres are found." The museum will leverage the memories and memorabilia of people who lived through the birth of Southern rock and roll in the late 1960s, according to Bliss. "But there is a lot more to Jacksonville's music history," he added. "The music of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band stands on the shoulders of giants in the blues and jazz genres in Jacksonville's African American community." Bourcier spent four years as Curator at Jacksonville's Museum of Science & History, bringing to life exhibits such as "Neighborhoods," "Mission: Jax Genius," and "The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America.""I admire the work of the Jacksonville Historical Society in preserving the history of a multifaceted city," said Bourcier when asked why he was interested in joining the JHS. "Music history has fascinated me since I was a teenager. I relish the opportunity to explore this topic in a regional context and help JHS share stories that inform and inspire." Prior to moving to Jacksonville in 2016 and joining MOSH, Bourcier served as Chief Curator for the Wisconsin Historical Society for 26 years. He began his career in curatorial positions at New York's Adirondack Museum and the Rhode Island Historical Society. Bourcier's resumé includes more than 100 exhibits and many collections management projects. He also edited two editions of Nomenclature, a professional cataloging standard recognized throughout North America. Bourcier holds a Bachelor of Arts in geography from Clark University and a Master of Arts in American history and certification in museum studies from the University of Delaware. This press release was produced by The JAX Chamber. The views expressed here are the author's own.