The Georgia Historical Society has started the Community Archives Initiative, a program to help save and share the stories of Georgia’s people. With a $168,000 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the program will focus on adding items from groups and individuals who are not well represented in the current collections.
The program invites people to visit the Georgia Historical Society Research Center in Savannah to work with archivists on improving the descriptions of historical items. This will make the collections easier for researchers to use and ensure more of Georgia’s communities are included.
The initiative will also offer workshops on topics like photo preservation, family history, and digitizing old records. People who want to share their family stories can donate items to the Georgia Historical Society to be safely preserved and shared with future generations. The program has already partnered with groups in Savannah, Augusta, Darien, and Rome, Georgia.
“Our collections are the foundation for learning about Georgia’s history and understanding our present,” said W. Todd Groce, President and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society. “We want to make sure they reflect the full story of our state.”
Volunteers are already helping with the project. Vaughnette Goode-Walker, Director of the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum in Savannah, said, “It gives the community an opportunity to share their perspective of the Savannah community within the context of Georgia history.”
The program will end with a public event at the Georgia Historical Society Research Center, where newly donated items will be on display. For more information, contact LaPortia Mosley at lmosley@georgiahistory.com.
