Possible Solutions

While we cannot go back and alter the decisions that other archivists and people of power have made in the past, there are a few different ways in which we can work to find solutions to help mend the possible broken relationship between the archival field and many communities. These solutions include rebuilding the relationship between harmed individuals and the archives, providing a space for these individuals to share their stories, and through spreading awareness.

The first, and likely most important solution, is rebuilding the relationship between the archival field and communities who have been harmed. Because of the censorship of the stories and experiences of certain groups, there is now tension between these marginalized groups and archival repositories (Jimerson, 2006). Archivists cannot expect members of these groups to volunteer to donate their materials, because what if their stories are further destroyed or altered? In building these relationships, we must remember that we do not know everything, so therefore we should ask questions, listen, and learn, and work to be allies (Axner, 2022).

Along with rebuilding the relationship between minority groups and those whose stories have been suppressed, another possible solution is providing a space for individuals to share their stories. While we can rebuild our relationship with these communities, we also must respect that all groups have different beliefs and traditions, and therefore we must make our spaces open to them and their traditions and beliefs, as we cannot truly document their history if we don’t create a space that is respectful (Jimerson, 2006). Within this idea, we must also understand that there are some parts of these groups' histories that we may not be privy to, as some of the materials are private or only known by a select few (Jimerson, 2006). While we can work to be open, accessible, and understanding, we cannot try to control the voice of others by dictating what materials they must donate.

The final possible solution is education and spreading awareness. That is the purpose of this Libguide: to represent one of these possible options for the challenge of neutrality in the archives, while also advocating for those harmed by history. As the stories and materials of minority groups, as well as of government agencies who have harmed certain groups, become available in the archival setting, we must work to not let those records silently become part of our repositories (Archives & Public Culture Research Initiative, 2015). We must be vocal and tell these stories to spread awareness and understanding of those who history has chosen to forget.

No matter how much we as archivists can believe we are doing what is right, and we know everything there is to know about a certain group or event, history and reality have proven otherwise. Through rebuilding the relationship between harmed individuals and the archives, providing a space for these individuals to share their stories, and through spreading awareness, archivists can attempt to mend the wounds that have been caused by others in the field previously, while also making sure that such harm does not occur again.