We’ve witnessed communities across the United States and the world once again coming to grips with the brutal systemic racism that undergirds our society. These communities are seeking justice, and to dismantle the systems of white supremacy that led to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others.
The Delaware Valley Archivists Group unequivocally believes that Black Lives Matter. We condemn the pervasive racism that caused the deaths of these individuals, as well as the structural racism that exists in our field. We, as professionals, are committed to uprooting the racism that our field has historically aided and abetted. The racism that has endured in this field has led to a profession that is over 80% white.
It is clear to us that our actions have not been enough, and we must be better. Going forward, we must transform ourselves and our profession.
There is amazing work being done currently to counteract these harmful systems, and we encourage our colleagues and communities to lend their support to this work:
