About the EOA
Project governance
EOA is governed by a Management Council that includes leaders from across the state in the areas of education and the humanities. The council approves policies and procedures, creates any boards, groups, or committees, and approves the appointment of the editorial and technical staff assigned to the project.
The Management Council is guided by a nineteen-point statement of “Principles and Characteristics” that provides a concise articulation of the overall methodology and standards for the EOA project.
Fiscal responsibility
The Alabama Humanities Foundation serves as EOA’s fiscal agent and oversees its organizational status, fundraising campaign, grants and gifts administration, and marketing.
Editorial oversight
Auburn University hosts the
editorial offices in the Ralph B. Draughon Library. The editorial staff
manages EOA’s content development, oversight, research, editing,
design, and technical support. Twenty-nine consulting editors advise the
staff on content development and identifying prospective authors.
The Editorial Advisory Board
comprises thirty-nine senior scholars who lend their expertise to the
development of editorial policy. They also serve as EOA spokespersons
to the larger scholarly community.
Sample EOA articles
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| Marshall Space Flight Center | Millers Pottery | Moundville |
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| Cahaba Lily | Flock Family | GeorgeWashington Carver |
Technology development
Merrill-Hall New Media developed DIDEROT, the database and Web-publishing tool that makes EOA an easily accessible reference work. Designed to be “future-proof,” EOA’s technology platform is being built with XML, a cutting-edge process of tagging information that will insure the site’s functionality for decades to come. In the future it will also make possible the transmission of EOA content by cell phone or other wireless device. DIDEROT will support full-text searches of all EOA content and features multiple indexes for browsing. Many articles will offer links to related clips of streaming audio and video.






