How did archivists partner with activists to document and preserve the history of AIDS activism? How are archivists and community partners activating archives to reveal AIDS’s continued impact on marginalized communities? What lessons can archivists take from this moment of social and community memory-building as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic?
In this episode of Archives in Context, co-hosts Anna Trammell and Chris Burns speak with Marika Cifor (University of Washington) about her recent book, Viral Cultures: Activist Archiving in the Age of AIDS (University of Minnesota Press, 2022). Cifor discusses her inspiration for exploring AIDS archives, how the concept of vital nostalgia can inform archival theory and practice, and lessons for memory workers and activists interested in documenting other social justice movements.
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SAA Headquarters
Society of American Archivists
Chicago IL
saahq@archivists.org------------------------------