The Strange Career of Jim Crow

What is the legacy of the Jim Crowe archives as stated in the Strange Career of Jim Crowe?

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The history of Jim Crow archives bequeaths a fourfold legacy. First, archivists and related professionals possess agency. The archives is never a neutral space; indeed, “the archivist, in subtle ways, tends to perpetuate the political and economic status quo simply by going about his ordinary business.”10 Second, the mission of professional archivists centers on providing access to sources and serving users. During the middle years of the twentieth century, archivists struggled to balance this professional article of faith with their personal and community mores concerning race. African American scholars received lesser degrees of access and lesser forms of service. Third, archivists must be held accountable in their records collection and records management practices. Accountability depends upon promoting diversity in the archival profession and advocating for the collection and retention of records diverse in form and content. Finally, archivists and associated professionals influence the writing of history as much in the 2010s as in the 1950s.

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The Strange Career of Jim Crow