Telling Stories Across Generations

This short-form documentary film project features the work the Anchorage Museum archives team is doing to ensure equity in its collections by telling the stories of Alaska’s often underrepresented communities. Included are a behind-the-scenes look at how the museum works with community members to create, share and preserve these stories — and how serendipitous moments can help expand a collection and inspire a major exhibition.

Inspired by The History Makers, a groundbreaking oral history digital archive devoted to preserving and sharing the untold personal stories of African Americans, the Anchorage Museum partnered with local Black historian Cal Williams to build an archive of photos and materials that document the Black experience in Alaska.

The photo archive is carefully curated from the personal collections and albums of prominent Black Alaskans. Through this lens, we meet Black people and families living, working, leading, creating, and fighting for equality in the 49th State. This remarkable collection—actively expanding today through the diligent work of museum curators and archivists—provides a raw and personal glimpse into the journey, justice, and joy of one of Alaska’s vital minority populations.

BROWSE THE ANCHORAGE MUSEUM'S DIGITAL IMAGE ARCHIVE

Black Lives in Alaska: Journey, Justice, Joy, an exhibition about Black history and culture in the 49th state

Chatter Marks Ep 37. A Life of Activism with Cal Williams 

From the Museum Journal: Documenting and Sharing Anchorage’s Diverse Communities 

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