There are many ways to tell a story, through exhibits, digital projects, unfurlings, or participatory events. Pick the style that tells your story best and use these guidelines to keep you organized and on
track.
Storytelling
Storytelling is the spark. It can spark celebration, memory, catharsis, or movements toward social justice. The collections we hold tell a story mediated through our institution.
Storytelling through Community-Driven Archives (overview)
Traditionally, archivists stick to access and preservation and leave interpretation and storytelling to the researchers. But what happens when we listen to what our audiences want? We find ways to help them tell meaningful stories about their communities’ history.
Black Communities Conference Charrette Activity
Our team used charrettes to support project planning for a local group’s community archives project. This exercise supports a fledgling project in brainstorming, networking, and connecting with community members.
Crafting the Story of an Exhibition
Using Archival Materials for Research
Presenting “Gone Home: Race and Roots through Appalachia”
From 2017-19, the Community-Driven Archives (CDA) grant team and the Southern Historical Collection collaborated with Dr. Karida Brown while she was a Ph.D. candidate at Brown University, along with many Appalachian families on the Eastern Kentucky African American Migration Project (EKAAMP).
Storytelling Basics
How to Participate in a Community Archive Project
Collaborating with Archives and Cultural Heritage Institutions on Community Memory Projects
Here are some tips on how to find and create a sustainable and equitable partnership to help your history project thrive.
Announcing the Launch of the Student Health Coalition Project Website
Introducing a pioneering online archive about student activism in the 1960s and 70s, a digital home for video clips, historic photos, and personal profiles from former activists in the rural South with a focus on health care.