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On January 18, 2022, the sixth annual US National Day of Racial Healing, the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and the Society of American Archivists (SAA) call upon our collective memberships—comprised of several hundred thousand archivists, librarians, and other information professionals, and thousands of libraries and archives of all kinds—to observe the day with reflection and action.
The National Day of Racial Healing is part of a larger movement for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT)—a political and cultural framework developed by Dr. Gail Christopher and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. TRHT is embraced by more than 300 organizations in the academic, artistic, civic, and faith communities calling for the establishment of a US Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. Libraries and archives are in this movement to advance a more just and equitable society by bringing our expertise, our collections, and our relationships to advance truth for teaching and scholarship, remembrance, community building, and healing.
By working together, ALA, ARL, and SAA signal the commitment of libraries and archives to documenting in full the rich and diverse histories of the United States and to ongoing collaboration on these issues. Through programming, education, and advocacy, our associations are developing leaders and organizations to meet the moment—including envisioning new ways of working that enable communities to tell their own enduring stories, and reimagining descriptive practices to be more inclusive.
On January 18, ALA, ARL, and SAA call on our members to take the following actions:
1. Devote time for a Healing Hour in your organizations and departments for discussion, education, and reflection using the resources here.
2. Share your organization’s learning in pursuit of racial justice and healing with your colleagues and users, on your websites, and in your communications.
3. Review SAA’s resources, ALA's resources, and ARL resources to spark your thinking, discussion, and action.
The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 126 research libraries in Canada and the US whose mission is to advance research, learning, and scholarly communication. The Association fosters the open exchange of ideas and expertise; advances diversity, equity, and inclusion; and pursues advocacy and public policy efforts that reflect the values of the library, scholarly, and higher education communities. ARL forges partnerships and catalyzes the collective efforts of research libraries to enable knowledge creation and to achieve enduring and barrier-free access to information. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
Founded in 1936, the Society of American Archivists (SAA) is North America's oldest and largest national professional association dedicated to the needs and interests of archives and archivists. SAA represents more than 6,000 professional archivists employed by governments, universities, businesses, libraries, and historical organizations nationally. SAA empowers archivists to achieve professional excellence and foster innovation to ensure the identification, preservation, understanding, and use of records of enduring value. SAA is a vital community that advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of archives and archivists. Visit archivists.org.
