Allison, This post really rings true for me in more ways than one! I'd say that in today's world there is LOT of ephemera, not just the press releases, flyers, t-shirts, notes, buttons, press releases, and such, as you mention, but also social media posts. Some are trying to preserve that, but it can be a challenge, as sometimes this software isn't designed well to be preserved. In terms of materials which aren't typically kept or preserved, possibly emails could count with this as well? I can think of some things in my own life which were definitely not preserved, like the posts on my old Facebook account, my messages on AIM, the text messages on my old phone, or anything else like that.
To add onto that, I'd say that when it comes to genealogy, which is something I'm very familiar, it can be easy to find census records, photos, or even video recordings. In fact, I index the first two, and especially the first one (well, declassified documents to be precise), for my job. But, for marginalized people, especially those who aren't White, the ephemera is vital to create an accurate record of marginalized histories, as you point out. I'll definitely have to give "Cruising Utopia" a read. I will say that some institutions are trying to prioritize marginalized communities, although I'm not sure how well that is going, or if it is being done well in those institutions. In any case, if recording of marginalized communities isn't prioritized, an accurate cultural record can't be claimed. Surely, official documentation has its limits, even if it is interpreted differently (and in a more progressive way), as some have tried to do.
Otherwise, I'll have to check out the Addresses Project, and can agree that marginalized histories haven't always been accurately represented in the larger cultural record, and surely ephemera can help tell more of the story (or many stories). And without a doubt, keeping a record of previous queer people, and communities, is valuable as well. In the end, the digital archive of the Feminist Archive sounds undoubtedly promising, and I'll have to donate to that Adopt-a-Box campaign. As an aside, I didn't mean any offense in my previous comment on your "What is a Feminist Archive?" post. Anyway, I'll keep reading with newsletter with interest, and keep featuring it in my own newsletter.
Allison, This post really rings true for me in more ways than one! I'd say that in today's world there is LOT of ephemera, not just the press releases, flyers, t-shirts, notes, buttons, press releases, and such, as you mention, but also social media posts. Some are trying to preserve that, but it can be a challenge, as sometimes this software isn't designed well to be preserved. In terms of materials which aren't typically kept or preserved, possibly emails could count with this as well? I can think of some things in my own life which were definitely not preserved, like the posts on my old Facebook account, my messages on AIM, the text messages on my old phone, or anything else like that.
To add onto that, I'd say that when it comes to genealogy, which is something I'm very familiar, it can be easy to find census records, photos, or even video recordings. In fact, I index the first two, and especially the first one (well, declassified documents to be precise), for my job. But, for marginalized people, especially those who aren't White, the ephemera is vital to create an accurate record of marginalized histories, as you point out. I'll definitely have to give "Cruising Utopia" a read. I will say that some institutions are trying to prioritize marginalized communities, although I'm not sure how well that is going, or if it is being done well in those institutions. In any case, if recording of marginalized communities isn't prioritized, an accurate cultural record can't be claimed. Surely, official documentation has its limits, even if it is interpreted differently (and in a more progressive way), as some have tried to do.
Otherwise, I'll have to check out the Addresses Project, and can agree that marginalized histories haven't always been accurately represented in the larger cultural record, and surely ephemera can help tell more of the story (or many stories). And without a doubt, keeping a record of previous queer people, and communities, is valuable as well. In the end, the digital archive of the Feminist Archive sounds undoubtedly promising, and I'll have to donate to that Adopt-a-Box campaign. As an aside, I didn't mean any offense in my previous comment on your "What is a Feminist Archive?" post. Anyway, I'll keep reading with newsletter with interest, and keep featuring it in my own newsletter.