About the Plenary
The second biennial plenary, “Memory Work for Black Lives,” was held on April 12-13 at the White Stag Commons at the University of Oregon Portland, with a hybrid component for off-site attendees. This two-day event was co-organized by UO Libraries and human rights organization, Don’t Shoot Portland. The plenary centered the voices of Black activists and artists as well as librarians, archivists, UO students and faculty to discuss the power of Black archival memory. The emphasis of this event was on community archiving initiatives, and how such efforts can instigate significant positive change for the people they serve, as well as shift the dominant historical narrative to be more accurate and inclusive.
About the Plenary
The second biennial plenary, “Memory Work for Black Lives,” was held on April 12-13 at the White Stag Commons at the University of Oregon Portland, with a hybrid component for off-site attendees. This two-day event was co-organized by UO Libraries and human rights organization, Don’t Shoot Portland. The plenary centered the voices of Black activists and artists as well as librarians, archivists, UO students and faculty to discuss the power of Black archival memory. The emphasis of this event was on community archiving initiatives, and how such efforts can instigate significant positive change for the people they serve, as well as shift the dominant historical narrative to be more accurate and inclusive.
Plenary Schedule
April 12, 2024
10:00 am – 12:00pm PT (in-person only)
Two-day Archiving Workshop with City of Portland Archives
Working with Analog Materials
Registration Limited to 25
Join the City of Portland Archives for a preservation workshop that offers hands-on instruction from experienced archivists and oral history experts. Attendees are encouraged to bring an item from their family or community collections such as a photograph, document, or artifact to use as an example as they practice proper handling, labeling, and storage of their materials. Each attendee will be provided with an archival supply kit to get them started on their preservation journey! Attendees will also have the opportunity to scan their archival items and learn about recording oral histories.
12:00pm – 1:00pm PT
Break for Lunch
1:00pm:
Tai Carpenter, Don’t Shoot Portland
Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction
1:15pm:
Holly Smith, College Archivist at Spelman College
Memory Work in Black Communities in Atlanta
Holly Smith will discuss the ongoing work in the Spelman Archives to connect and collaborate with community organizations, as well as her continued work with the archival advocacy organization, the Atlanta Black Archives Alliance.
2:30pm:
Coffee break
2:45pm:
Ishaq Shamsud-Din, Portland Community Activist
Intergenerational Archiving in the Portland Community
Ishaq Shamsud-Din will present on his collaboration with Don’t Shoot Portland in preserving his family and community history. In particular, he will discuss his work to preserve his father, painter Isaka Shamsud-Din’s, impactful and extensive archive. His presentation will speak to the importance of safeguarding community legacies through grassroots efforts. Shamsud-Din highlights the significance of his father’s archive in documenting the African American experience in Portland and throughout the state of Oregon.
4:00pm – 6:00pm PT
Liberated Archives opening event
April 13, 2024
10:00 am – 12:00pm PT (in-person only)
Two-day Archiving Workshop with City of Portland Archives
Working with Digital Materials
Registration Limited to 25
Join the City of Portland Archives for a preservation workshop that offers hands-on instruction from experienced archivists and oral history experts. Attendees are encouraged to bring an item from their family or community collections such as a photograph, document, or artifact to use as an example as they practice proper handling, labeling, and storage of their materials. Each attendee will be provided with an archival supply kit to get them started on their preservation journey! Attendees will also have the opportunity to scan their archival items and learn about recording oral histories.
12:00pm – 1:00pm PT
Break for Lunch
1:00pm:
Tai Carpenter, Don’t Shoot Portland
Speaker Introductions
1:15pm:
Tracy Drake, Director of Special Collections, Reed College
Beyond Oral Narratives: Preserving Materials for Black Liberation
Tracy Drake, co-founder of the Blackivist Collective, will present on her work within communities of color and the power of archiving in non-institutional spaces. Her efforts emphasize the power of preserving and amplifying the narratives of historically under-represented groups through collaboration, joy, and community-building. Drake’s talk will illuminate how community archiving serves as a tool for empowerment, reclaiming agency over our collective stories, fostering intergenerational dialogue, and advocating for social justice. Drake’s presentation will inspire audiences to recognize the transformative potential of archiving in challenging dominant narratives and promoting collective liberation.
2:30pm:
Coffee break
2:45pm:
Panel discussion with all speakers, hosted by Teressa Raiford
In the final session, Don’t Shoot’s Teressa Raifford will host an energizing round-table discussion with all presenters, discussing their efforts to preserve Black memory and next steps for advancing the cause of community archiving initiatives.
4:00pm
Event end
Invited contributors
Tai Carpenter
Tai Carpenter (she/her) is a writer, curator, gallerist and community archivist with a passion for social impact in the realms of art and civil rights. She is also the founder of Compose Yourself Magazine, an independent online publication spotlighting music, culture and social justice. Her work allows her to intersect two passions, art and civil rights, to create a more equitable and creative world by utilizing critical research to facilitate dialogues around art in relation to current social movements.
Tai is currently the Board President of Don’t Shoot Portland, a community-based advocacy nonprofit and Director of The Black Gallery.
Tracy Drake
Tracy Drake is the Director of Special Collections and Archives at Reed College, focused on acquiring, preserving, and providing access to the historical and cultural records of the college. As an information professional, Tracy strives to provide equitable access to the stories of the Black experience. She believes collecting such counter stories, confronting difficult topics in our collective historical record and encouraging community archival practice is a tool to counteract the symbolic annihilation of histories of people of color.
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a BS in African American Studies, an MA in history from Roosevelt University, and an MS in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2018, she was chosen as a member of the American Library Association class of Emerging Leaders. Her scholarship and research focus on anti-racism in society and information. Tracy uses she/her/hers pronouns.
Madeline Moya
Madeline Moya manages the City’s Archives and Records Management Division and has served as the City Archivist since January 2024. She provides citywide leadership on archives and records management issues and oversees the Portland Archives and Records Center (PARC). She holds a Master of Science in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin with a focus in archives and preservation and is certified through the Academy of Certified Archivists. She has overseen mass digitization and public access projects in all of her work and is passionate about making archival collections available to the public. Madeline moved to Portland with her family in 2022.
Teressa Raiford
Teressa Raiford is the founder of Don’t Shoot Portland, a Black-led and community driven nonprofit in Portland, Oregon, that advocates for accountability to create social change in the spaces of human rights and racial justice. In addition to serving on the board of Don’t Shoot Portland, Teressa maintains a strong presence in the city through her consistent organizing and philanthropy.
In 2017, Teressa participated on a panel, The Liberated Archives Unconference, where archivists responded to the movement for Black Lives. It was at this point she issued a call to action to the archivist community to bridge resources and educational support. Since then, Teressa has curated multiple exhibitions and workshops on Liberated Archives for Black Lives.
Ishaq Shamsud-Din
Native Portlander Ishaq Shamsud-Din is a serial entrepreneur and community activist. After leaving the construction industry, he has refocused his commitment to community through his non-profit, Like A Big Bro (LABB). In addition to closely working with his father, noted Artist Isaka Shamsud-Din, he is currently working on several projects to preserve the past and forecast the future of African American life.
Devin Busby
Devin Busby works for the City of Portland’s Archives and Records Management Division as the Outreach Archivist. Her work includes general outreach and work with community groups, overseeing the Archive’s Oral History program, developing exhibits, and working with city bureaus to properly manage their active records. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science from San Jose State University with a focus in archives.
Holly Smith
Holly A. Smith is the College Archivist at Spelman College. She co-authored the article “This [Black] Woman’s Work: Exploring Archival Projects that Embrace the Identity of the Memory Worker” (KULA Journal, 2018:2), and authored the piece and “Wholeness is No Trifling Matter: Black Feminist Archival Practice and The Spelman College Archives” (The Black Scholar 52:2). She is passionate about Black feminist archival practice and archival advocacy related to collections for historically under documented communities.
Event sponsors:
City of Portland Archives
UO Division of Equity & Inclusion
University of Oregon Library
Oregon Humanities Center
UO Library Diversity Committee
UO Special Collections & University Archives
Photo Credits
Footer image: Mika Martinez, Juneteenth 2021