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SAA 2016 Day 1: Black Archives Now

Day 1 is done, and while I only had one event today it was a great one. Emory hosted a series of lightening talks and open discussion that focused on black archives and archival collections in the Atlanta area. Specifically, the discussion focused on how these organizations were collaborating with various communities, providing access to their African american archival collections, and their efforts to promote the use of these collections. The conversation was thought provoking, and I have a few things to include in class this fall and to think about a bit more:

  • Beyond the Hashtag is a report that detail how social media has played a role in the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m thinking of using it to discuss both collecting in archives and what is the definition of a record.
  • UMBRA was discussed by Dorothy Berry. I confess to not being familiar with this tool, but it’s getting added to our discussions of how to give access to collections online.
  • Holly Smith, Archivist at Spelman College during the q&a portion discussed aspects of creating good relationships. She said an archivist needed to be transparent, sincere, and authentic.