Communities in Conversation

Co-presented by the Inclusive History Project, the School of Information, and the Bentley Historical Library, this symposium brings together librarians, archivists, scholars, and community members from across the state of Michigan to discuss how they are re-envisioning and re-connecting archival collections to communities in engaging and ethical ways. 

When the Smithsonian adopted a Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns policy in 2022, Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian, described the policy as “a cultural shift in our concepts of possession, ownership, and stewardship of collections.” The Smithsonian’s new policy is designed to address the harm caused by the museum’s past extractive practices and engage, consult, and work collaboratively with descendants and communities represented in their collections. This symposium is part of the University of Michigan's effort to apply these principles to archival collections.  

The Communities in Conversation symposium is part of the Towards Community-Based Shared Stewardship project, and will feature four panel discussions, a free catered lunch, and will be followed by a reception at the Bentley Historical Library. Attendees may also attend the panels via webinar, which is free and requires registration. 

This day-long event is free and open to the public.