Community Archives

Catalog description

All communities create historical records, and recent decades have brought a growing critical awareness of how existing social hierarchies influence the creation and maintenance of historical archives. Community archive projects locate the power to preserve and shape history, heritage, and memory in communities themselves. Through readings, discussion, and analysis, this course will introduce students to a range of issues relating to grassroots community archives, archives of community organizations, and what happens when larger institutions partner with communities and community organizations to create archives. Students will also work with a local non-profit organization to undertake an archivally-based public project.