Seminar M. Whose History is It? Community Archives and the Shaping of Memory

Abstract

Marginalized communities have a vested interest in the creation, preservation and curation of collections that document their history. Community archives emerge from awareness that limited or biased documentation impedes political activism. When core documentation is defined and collected by a community it can shape and promote a shared identity that counterbalances a marginalized social status. A commitment to developing and managing collections expands a community or organizational mission beyond social justice to one of service and scholarship. Rather than taking this step, many groups choose to establish collaborative relationships with outside entities to process and digitize collections, or arrange for the transfer of their documentation to an established archival repository. This session will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with the administration of community archives.