Greer Recognized by the Society of American Archivists

MS in Library Science student Shira Greer is the 2024 recipient of the Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). Greer will receive complimentary registration and travel expenses to attend the SAA annual meeting and a one-year membership in SAA.

The Pinkett Award was established in 1993 to encourage students of color to consider careers in the archival profession and to promote participation by people of color in SAA. The award honors archival pioneer Dr. Harold T. Pinkett, a dedicated SAA member who was the first African American to be appointed archivist at the National Archives, where he worked for more than 35 years.

As a 2019 Race & Racism Project fellow at the University of Richmond, Greer conducted five oral histories with alumni of color. This work taught her the potential that archives offer in building inter-generational community, community collaboration, and empowerment. Her work with these individuals inspired her to become a campus activist and organizer and has helped her realize the potential that archives work has in helping marginalized groups understand and shape their own historical narratives.

Now, as a graduate assistant for the Southern Historical Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill, Greer has helped to grow the On These Grounds database and public interface to share UNC’s history of enslavement. She has also processed the physical and digital materials of the Community-Driven Archives collection to provide access to information about the Southern Historical Collection’s community-driven archives work.

Greer has an outstanding academic record is well on her way to making significant contributions to the profession and her community. As she wrote in her application letter, she looks forward “to meeting and learning from other archival professionals who are interested in creating and continuing projects that cultivate community and promote access to and engagement with archival materials.”

Article provided by the Society of American Archivists