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The Blackivists

Saturday, April 16, 2022 10am to 4pm

Traditionally, the archive has been a tool for the state to tell its own story. The Blackivists seek to bring the tools of the archive outside of the realm of the institution and into the hands of our communities. Their work is built on a framework that prioritizes a people-first approach to the collection and care of archival materials. Their efforts reflect an active resistance to racism, sexism, ableism, religion, class and gender oppression, and environmental harm. The Blackivists understand that the histories of people of color, queer communities, working-class and under-resourced communities, religious minorities, and individuals with disabilities are missing from larger institutional repositories. They prioritize projects and clients that fill those gaps: such as the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panthers and the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials (CTJM). By helping individuals and organizations inventory, document, and preserve all aspects of humanity, they aim to empower people to use the past to speculate on—or create through direct action—radical, liberatory, and inclusive futures for us all.*

Sponsored by the Office of Institutional Diversity and the Eric V. Hauser Library, Reed College Archives and Special Collections will host a conversation with The Blackivists, a collective of trained Black archivists, and Tempestt Hazel, curator, writer, and co-founder of Sixty Inches From Center on Diamond in the Back (DITB), community archives, and documenting marginalized communities. We realize that artists -particularly artists of color- do not typically have the resources to preserve their materials or artistic processes for various reasons. We are reaching out to BIPOC and LGBTQ community performing and visual arts organizations to ensure that the cultural work and legacies of our community members are preserved and passed down to future generations. On the third day of the event, Reed College will host a community day for BIPOC and LGBTQ artists at Reed College’s Performing Arts Building. Guests will be able to attend 3 workshops on archival basics, digital preservation, and archival research.

Among the Blackivists are Project Manager of the Johnson Publishing Company for the Getty Research Institute and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Steven D. Booth; Director of Reed Special Collections and Archives Tracy S. Drake; Head of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at Chicago Public Library Raquel Flores-Clemons; Independent Archivist and Researcher Erin Glasco, Manager of Archives for Cook County, Illinois Skyla S. Hearn; and curator, writer, and co-founder of Sixty Inches From Center Tempestt Hazel.

 

EVENT DETAILS

April 14, 2022

6:00 pm-7:00 pm Panel Discussion (Vollum Lecture Hall); Open to current faculty, students, and staff

7:00 pm-8:00 pm Reception (Vollum Lounge); open to current faculty, students, and staff

April 15, 2022

12:00pm-2:00pm Kitchen Table Conversation (GCC); open to current students

April 16, 2022

Community Day and Artists Workshops (PAB); by invitation only 

For more information or any questions, please contact Tracy Drake and draket@reed.edu

 

SEATING

THE PANEL AND STUDENT ALUMNI DISCUSSION IS OPEN ONLY TO CURRENT STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF.  THE COMMUNITY DAY OF SERVICE IS OPEN TO INVITED COMMUNITY GROUPS. All attendees must provide proof of vaccination, INCLUDING A BOOSTER, at the door. Masks are required indoors. 

 

PARKING

Parking at Reed College is free and no permit is required. There are three parking lots on campus: the east lot, accessed from Woodstock Boulevard just east of the main entrance; the west lot, along 28th Avenue; and the north lot, along Steele Street. See the campus map for more information.

 

* Photo Credit Blackivist website.


 

Event Details