Theodore Calvin Pease Award: Sony Prosper

Sony Prosper, who is pursuing a doctorate at the University of Michigan School of Information, is the 2023 recipient of the 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.

Prosper’s paper, “Conceptualizing Records: Black Bottom Archives, Detroit Sound Conservancy, Faulkner Morgan Archive, Hula Preservation Society, and History Project,” explores conceptualizations of archival records in the context of community archives. Prosper provides evidence of how definitions of the record, as understood by community members, can inform ongoing work with those records as well as broader archival practice.

The paper was nominated by Dr. Ricardo Punzalan, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Information, who noted: “The paper presents new qualitative data that explains how community members conceptualize records and how these conceptualizations inform community archives’ programs and practices. This is an important contribution as the archival field continues to work with community archives and develop community-based programs.”

The Awards Committee found Prosper’s approach to the definition of the archival record illuminating and appreciated Prosper’s engagement with grassroots organizations through interviews. The article speaks to a critical, profession-wide goal of diversifying the archival record and asks readers to engage with intellectually challenging concepts relating to memory, agency, and power.

Prosper’s paper will be published in American Archivist Volume 87, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2024). Established in 1987, the award is named for the first editor of American Archivist. Recent recipients include Ferris Evans of the University of Toronto and Rachel Walton of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.