UW News

July 29, 2020

UW Libraries publishes new online research guides on racial justice, African American experience in Pacific Northwest

A man with a microphone is seen silhouetted above the crowd in this photo taken during a Black Student Union rally on March 6, 1970, protesting UW relations with Brigham Young University.Joseph Karpen / UW Libraries

UW Libraries has published timely new online guides to help researchers studying the Black experience in the Pacific Northwest and the broader topic of racial justice.

The African American Research & Archival Collections in the Pacific Northwest Collections guide was compiled and released in June. This guide highlights archival and printed materials, photographs and moving image collections available in UW Special Collections that relate to Black communities, political groups and civil rights movements in the Pacific Northwest.

“Once the pandemic restrictions are lifted, UW Libraries Special Collections will welcome the public to access the collections in person,” said Anne Jenner, Pacific Northwest curator for Special Collections.

In the meantime, she said, there are several resources available online. These include tabs in the online guide for oral histories and digital collections. Also, she said, the Regional Black History Projects tab promotes projects outside of the UW library system that “collect, preserve and share” Black history in America and around the world, such as BlackPast.org, created by UW history professor Quintard Taylor.

UW Libraries also has created a tab titled “Racial Justice Resources: Keeping Current.” The guide is a starting point for students and faculty “seeking to better understand issues related to racial justice and racism in America.” The tab is a work in progress, and staff are taking suggestions for additional links and content.

The new guides reflect UW Libraries’ 2018-2023 Strategic Plan, a main goal of which is to “elevate the voices of historically underrepresented communities at the UW and in the Pacific Northwest.”

For more information about the UW Libraries Pacific Northwest Collection, contact Jenner at ajenner@uw.edu.

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