If you’ve ever wondered how North Carolina, from its government to its people and culture, will be remembered 100 years from now, the answer starts at the State Archives, where millions of records quietly decide what can be proven, questioned and even forgotten.
Like a time capsule, the State Archives is one of the most important collections of public memory in the state and its newest director, Kelly Policelli, oversees it all.
From family history, past newspaper clips, court reports and even architectural surveys and college transcripts — you may be able to find it in the archives.
The catch, though?
“Archives are participatory,” Policelli told INDY Week in January. She explained that it takes the public and institutions contributing to that archive for it to fully capture the rich history of North Carolina. We discuss what that means.
Also, the State Archives is working on a special task for the year — preparing for America 250 NC. This year, as the country celebrates 250 years of independence, the State Archives will have its own way of highlighting North Carolina and the events, places and voices that helped shape a state and nation.
On this episode, we ask about this precious time capsule we have here in North Carolina — our state archives. We'll discuss what it takes to maintain history and how someone can find pieces of themselves reflected in archives. We also find out what you won’t discover in archives, and why that is.
GUEST:
Kelly Policelli, state archivist of North Carolina
