Archival Silence: Missing Pieces of the Information Puzzle
Have you ever thought about the vast amount of historical informational that is missing from our knowledge of the world? Those who are aware of archival silence have. Archival silence in the simplest of terms is the absence of information from record. As the curious human beings we are, we must be aware of the archival silences that exist as we go about our research. Without this awareness, it can lead to a gap in our knowledge of a subject. In some cases it can even lead to a biased point of view as the reader is deprived of the multiple voices of the time period. There was never a time in history where everyone had the same perspective on a topic, and if multiple viewpoints aren’t addressed in records, we may be mislead on the context of a time period. For example, when studying Civil Rights, an account from a Southerner living through the 1950s can give us a different record than a Northerner, as the norms of life were dramatically different from each other. The ability to examine records from a wide range of people allows us to see history through many different lenses.
The phenomenon of archival silence occurs as pieces of information are left out from documentation, for a multitude of reasons. It intentionally occurs when groups in power suppress the voices of the “marginalized group”(1). We have seen this occur in the presence of powerful regimes when speaking out against their notions could lead to dire consequences. We have also seen in history the intentional silence of groups to take a stance. Rodney G.S. Carter, in his examination on silence, reminds us that silence can be “a form of self-assertion; it can be an active resistance.”(1) This view on silence is important to consider when examining the roots in gaps of information, as the absence of voice in this case actually contains meaning.
It is also important to consider the subjectivity that is involved in the creation of archives. The power that an archivist holds is one of great matter in the world of information, as they have the discretion to include some aspects, and leave out others in records. The history of our human race is one filled with so many stories, that it would be impossible for an archivist to include every single detail. Therefore, they are forced to leave out certain details, often involving those of groups with less prominence in society. This inevitable consequence can serve as a great injustice to these groups as their identity can be lost in a sea of other records.
The effects of archival silence are similar to those of the content gaps that occur on Wikipedia. Content gaps are the result of a lack of diversity in the contributors to Wikipedia. This lack of diversity culminates into a problem when events and people are described from only a “western perspective” which can be distorted from the way the events actually occurred. The content gap also heavily relates to a bias on gender, as there is a significant lack of female editors. This correlates to the problems associated with archival silence as in both cases the reader is kept from the “full picture” of information. Wikipedia works to minimize the effects of content gaps by holding “edit-a-thons”(2) that promote the adding of information that is centered around those of minorities. Similar efforts are also being made to fill archival silences by encouraging left out groups to submit information to archives. There is no doubt that efforts are actively being made to expand the perspective that the public gains from resources.
So how can we prevent archival silence in our institutions? Here at Wake Forest, it is important to preserve information on events and accounts of our student body. This can provide a way to see the transitions the university has made throughout history. Additionally, preserving newspapers, magazines, and other sources that contain contributions from students and faculty can provide a way for future students to see the perspectives the University held from the past. Primary sources from notable alumni and professors can be beneficial as well as they can provide a source that is unique to the university. For example, the original notepads from Maya Angelou are held in Wake Forest’s special collections. These are distinctive to the university and can allow its students the advantage of an intimate source to her writing.
The archival silence is a real problem, but it can be improved with both recognition and an effort to preserve information. Especially today with the increase in online data, the archival silence may begin to decline as the history created today is stored online for future generations to explore.
- Carter, Rodney G.S. Of Things Said and Unsaid: Power, Archival Silences, and Power in Silence. Proc. of The Annual Conference of the Association of Canadian Archivists, Montreal. N.p.: n.p., 2004. Print.
- Bort, Julie. “A Growing Army Of Women Are Taking On Wikipedia’s Sexism Problem.” Business Insider. N.p., 15 Feb. 2014. Web.
