BIPOC collections

Overview

The Archives supports and strives to adhere to the Association of Canadian Archivists' statement condemning racism, injustice, and violence against Black people. We acknowledge the history of White supremacy in our profession as well as our responsibility to challenge harmful past practices, and instead engage in work that is anti-racist and promotes racial equality.  The Archives aims to ensure the lives of Black people and other racialized communities are represented in the digital and physical collections we steward.

In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action and the University's Strategic Direction of Indigenization, the Archives also seeks to responsibly preserve and provide access to records related to the history and present-day experiences of Indigenous people. The Archives is committed to decolonizing archival practice through the respectful stewardship of records alongside Indigenous communities and incorporating Indigenous worldviews into our practice. To these ends, the Archives has developed an Indigenous Stewardship Agreement, a Two-Spirit Archives Advisory Council, and revised its subject headings and descriptions to be more culturally sensitive, in addition to acting as stewards for these collections.

For visual learners, there is a video research guide on Youtube for these collections.

BIPOC research resources

Resources: Archives, Anti-racism, and Black Lives Matter, a list of resources and readings relevant to anti-racism, the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and archives and archivists in Canada and the United States as compiled by the Association of Canadian Archivists

ShekonNeechie.ca, an e-community for Indigenous historians