Transatlantica (Jul 2021)
On Archival Research: Recovering and Rewriting History. The Case of Sarah Parker Remond
Abstract
Through the case study of Sarah Parker Remond (1826-1894), this essay reflects on the significance of archival research in recovering historical narratives that have been erased. Recently, universities have recognized the benefits of student involvement in archival work and started to use it as a pedagogical tool that has resulted in increased student engagement in knowledge production and in the recovery of neglected histories. Sharing stories recovered from various archives, such as that of the African American abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, and doctor Sarah Remond, generates awareness of the ways in which experiences and the contribution of the marginalized, many of them women, may remain overshadowed by mainstream narratives. The essay includes archival documents, rendering them, now for the first time, accessible to others, and contributes to the rewriting of the stories of such inspirational women as Remond back into the history that erased them.
Keywords
