Description and Access for Anti-Black Archival Materials

This workshop, led by Melissa J. Nelson, addressed anti-Black racism in archival records by providing methods on how to create inclusive descriptions and how to provide access to these materials while minimizing harm. The workshop asked participants to think critically about the impact of descriptive and access practices for racist archival records. The workshop included interactive activities and discussions with time for reflection.

In this workshop participants:

• Learned how to apply some anti-racist frameworks to descriptive practices
• Discussed how to minimize harm while facilitating access to racist archival records
• Learned how to think critically about the impact of archival practices on the discoverability of racist archival records

Melissa J. Nelson is a second-generation Jamaican Canadian from Toronto, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History, with a minor in Sociology, from Carleton University. She also completed a Master of Information Studies at McGill University. Her experience includes working at George Brown College Archives, The Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives, the Law Society of Ontario Archives, and Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at York University. Melissa conducts research and produces content on history and archive related topics for her website melissajnelson.com. Her blog post “Archiving Hate: Racist Materials in Archives” has been cited in “Anti-racism Educational Resources” by the Archives Association of Ontario, “Resources: Archives, Anti-racism, and Black Lives Matter” by the Association of Canadian Archivists, “Language in archival descriptions changes” by the University of Waterloo Special Collections & Archives, and “United Church of Canada Archives Equity Statement” by The United Church of Canada Archives.