Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall

Reclaiming shingwauk Hall poster

A permanent exhibition project I have been working on since 2012 is finally coming into fruition.  The first part of the Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall exhibition will open on August 3, 2018 and is dedicated to the generations of Survivors who attended Indian Residential Schools across the country. Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall was developed and led by the … Continue reading Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall

Métis Nation of Ontario Root Ancestors Project

On April 24, 2018 Stacey Devlin of Know History presented a talk at Algoma University focused on the Métis Nation of Ontario Root Ancestors Project.  This fantastic project aims to increase resources and accessibility of information about the unique history and development of Métis communities in Ontario. The Root Ancestors Project was developed based on feedback … Continue reading Métis Nation of Ontario Root Ancestors Project

Rivers Speak Community Play

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Gigidoowag Ziibiik (Rivers Speak) Community Play.  This fantastic project was the culminating event of Thinking Rock Community Arts' efforts to engage community members in story telling and art making.  Since 2013 Thinking Rock has involved over 1500 individuals in hands-on making and storytelling with an emphasis on reflecting … Continue reading Rivers Speak Community Play

Introduction to Wikipedia as Outreach and Activism

The recording of the second Wikpedia focused webinar in the series I'm hosting with Jessica Knapp from Canada's History Society is now available. In this webinar Amy Marshall Furness, the Rosamond Ivey Special Collections Archivist and Head, Library & Archives at the E.P. Taylor Research Library & Archives, Art Gallery of Ontario discussed using Wikipedia as … Continue reading Introduction to Wikipedia as Outreach and Activism

Indigenous people want museums to heed TRC’s calls to action

Sophia Reuss recently wrote an article on  how "Indigenous people want museums to heed TRC's calls to action: Cultural institutions have an important role to play in Canada's reconciliation process."  Reuss' piece looks at the role museums and archives play in caring for and presenting materials relating to Indigenous communities and the need to the … Continue reading Indigenous people want museums to heed TRC’s calls to action

Reading: Make Roanoke Queer Again

The latest issue of The Public Historian featured a number of great articles including "Make Roanoke Queer Again: Community History and Urban Change in a Southern City" by Gregory Rosethal. This article explores the specifics of interpreting queer history in Roanoke, Virgina but also focuses more broadly on queer community history projects, resistance through grassroots history, and … Continue reading Reading: Make Roanoke Queer Again

Women, Wikipedia, and Intentional Editing

I've written previously about my use of Wikipedia as an outreach tool for the GLAM sector and the possibilities of connecting archives to users through Wikipedia.  I've also been thinking a lot about using Wikipedia as a form of awareness raising about Indigenous history, marginalized communities, and women. Many people have written about the systemic … Continue reading Women, Wikipedia, and Intentional Editing

Self-location and Concepts of Place

During a recent workshop on active archives and archives in the classroom my co-presenter brought up the idea of using self-location as a starting point for talking about residential schools and reconciliation. In subsequent days I've had a few conversations with colleagues about the value of using self-location as an instruction tool and how it … Continue reading Self-location and Concepts of Place

Community Archives and Sharing Information

Bates Hall, reading roomMorning North recently featured a segment on the facebook page "Sudbury's Fine Past & Future Let's Reminisce."  The page aims to share photographs and memories of Sudbury.  The page has over two thousand likes and over 50 photo albums focusing on all aspects of Sudbury history including theaters, hospitals, streetcars, and neighborhoods. … Continue reading Community Archives and Sharing Information