Theodore Calvin Pease Award: Merrion Dale Frederick

Merrion Dale Frederick, who is pursuing a doctorate at the University of North Texas, has been awarded the 2025 Theodore Calvin Pease Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes superior writing achievement by a student of archival studies, and entries are judged on innovation, scholarship, pertinence, and clarity of writing.

Frederick’s paper, “A Comparative Study of Ongoing Archival Efforts for Louisiana Regional French,” takes an archival theory lens to language revitalization efforts in Louisiana and illustrates the cultural heritage and affective value potential of language archives. The paper was nominated by Dr. Ana Roeschley of the University of North Texas Department of Information Science, who noted that Frederick’s paper “combines the fields of archival studies, linguistics, and information systems to provide an in-depth analysis of archival efforts for Louisiana Regional French.” Language collection materials are often described with linguistic researchers in mind, but Frederick “illustrates the ways in which these collections could be more accessible to and better serve the minority language communities whose materials [community archives] are stewarding.”

The Awards Committee appreciated the author’s unique approach and innovative application of archival theory. The cross-disciplinary aspects of this paper, which combines linguistics, archives, and information science, present a fresh perspective on community archives and speak to the importance of the preservation of local and regional history. In addressing the intersection of collecting, preservation, and community engagement, Frederick’s work provides a model for archival engagement with marginalized communities.

Frederick’s paper will be published in American Archivist Volume 89, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2026). Recent recipients include Sony Prosper of the University of Michigan School of Information and Ferrin Evans of the University of Toronto.