The CAC provides support and facilitates collaboration among and advocates for US-based community archives and archivists whose work is focused on documenting the stories and histories of groups traditionally excluded from mainstream archival institutions. We look forward to a time when communities have access to the knowledge, skills, and infrastructure to document their own histories, and have autonomy to pursue collaboration with larger institutions and funders from a place of power, rather than need. We value partnerships that are centered around the needs and goals of the community and we believe community members are best situated to determine how their histories are preserved & shared.
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The Community Archives Collaborative hosted an inaugural convening in Austin, Texas in November 2022. Representatives from fifteen organizations gathered to discuss issues impacting community-based archives and outline future goals for the Collaborative.
With support from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC), we’re expanding the Community Archives Collaborative as a space for stewards of community-based archives to learn from and support one another. On April 21st, 2022 the CAC invited community archives practitioners to gather for a town hall to share input and to learn about how to participate in the next phase of this new initiative by and for community archives.
