I Found It In The Archives Contest



A researcher contacted the Center after discovering
this image at Amistad, which may be the first known
photograph of Pokegama Falls, Minnesota, a town
that was lost when a dam was built in 1901.

 When the staff of the Amistad Research Center receives a letter of thanks from a researcher who is grateful for our help, we are reminded of the “humanness” of our profession. As a way of celebrating the diverse audience of global researchers who use the Center’s collections, the Center is participating in the Society of American Archivists’ (SAA) “I Found It In The Archives” contest. This contest will give YOU!...our constituents…a chance to tell your story of how items that are important to you are being preserved, cataloged, cared for, and made accessible by archivists!

In conjunction with American Archives Month, Amistad is encouraging SAA’s special effort to involve people who have sought out archival collections by engaging them in a fun contest that makes use of online social platforms. "I Found It In The Archives" is a collective effort to reach out to individuals who have found their records, families, heritage, and treasures through Amistad’s collections.

As part of this contest, we are asking our users, friends, and researchers to share their stories of discovery. Amistad’s contest will seek one winner who has used the Center’s collections for scholarly research, class projects, family history research, documentaries, creative writing, or any other outcome. The winner of Amistad’s contest will receive a gift package of Amistad promotional material, including books, posters, and postcards, and be entered into a national competition, culminating in August 2012 when the national winner will attend the SAA Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.

The deadline for submission is February 10, 2012. Three semi-finalists will be selected from a panel of judges and their entries will be posted online for public voting. Time is short! Submit your entry today! Rules and an entry form can be found here.

Posted by Christopher Harter

(Image from the American Missionary Records. May not be reproduced without permission.)