Students examining documents
A few weeks ago, Davidson College had the good fortune to host Lonnie Bunch, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture for a campus visit. During his time on campus, he participated in an archives workshop with students, faculty and townspeople.
We pulled documents and manuscript collections relating to town history, particularly ones that reflected race and class relations. Mayor John Woods supplied a railroad map from the 1920s, the archives added in a 1952 town zoning map, records of local organizations, and the Erving Johnson manuscript collection. Everyone worked in small groups to look at the material and considered what questions the items raised for historians, sociologists, curators and archivists — and also what the items invoked for them personally.
Wedding photograph from Erving Johnson collectoin
Combining the academic with the personal helped participants to understand the evocative power artifacts and manuscripts can have to make history come alive.
The presence of long-time town residents was invaluable as they shared their stories and memories connected with the documents. The wrap up discussion continued the interweaving of the academic and personal. We all came away with some new insights. I’m grateful for the faculty committee that made this lively interaction possible and for all the participants and for all the donors who sent their letters, photographs, maps, and documents to the college archives.
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