In recognition of October’s designation as American Archives
Month, Governor Asa Hutchinson has proclaimed October to also be Arkansas
Archives Month.
In a proclamation signed on September 14, 2015, Gov.
Hutchinson encouraged Arkansans to “discover the abundance of documentary treasures
contained in our State’s archival repositories” and states that “through these
archives, every generation of Arkansan can study the history and learn from the
experiences and accomplishments of our ancestors.”
Arkansas Archives Month celebrates the importance of the state’s
historical records and recognizes the work done by those who maintain these
records. This year, as part of the
observance, the Arkansas History Commission and State Archives has created an
Archives Month poster and is hosting a collaborative film event, Arkansas’s Reel History, featuring
historic film footage from six archival institutions around the state. The
event will be held October 10 from 1-6 p.m. at Ron Robinson Theater in Little
Rock’s River Market.
Established in 2006, American Archives Month is observed
annually during the month of October by archival institutions around the
country. Archives Month was created with the purpose of raising awareness of
the importance of archives and the work of archivists.
“Archives Month marks the culmination of a year-long
commemoration at the Arkansas History Commission of 110 years of collecting and
preserving Arkansas history,” noted Dr. Lisa Speer, Commission Director. “I can think of no more appropriate way to
celebrate Archives Month, and bring our year of celebration to a close, than
this film festival, which demonstrates the power of collaboration when archives
work together for the common purposes of preserving Arkansas history and
promoting it to the public that we all serve.”
The Arkansas History Commission and State Archives, located
in Little Rock, is the official state archives of Arkansas and maintains the
largest collection of historical materials on Arkansas in the world.
Arkansas’s Reel
History is funded in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council,
the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
