SAA Statement Reaffirming Our Commitment to the Importance of Diversity and Inclusion

November 16, 2016

With the recent rise in hate crimes, harassment, and divisive rhetoric in our country, the Society of American Archivists reaffirms its commitment to the importance of diversity and inclusion. SAA strongly rejects any acts of hate, discrimination, bias, or intimidation against anyone on the basis of ability, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

We are committed to supporting our members in their work during these challenging times. We stand by the Core Values of Archivists and the Code of Ethics for Archivists to guide our practices and beliefs, and by our Code of Conduct for our members and others who participate in our conferences, events, formal mentoring relationships, and online spaces. SAA stands with our allied professional partners as we continue to select, preserve, and make available evidence of our nation’s diverse cultural heritage.  

We welcome our members to review SAA’s Core Values, Code of Ethics, Statement on Diversity and Inclusion, and Public Policy Agenda, which underscore our responsibilities to preserve and provide access to a documentary record that protects rights, supports accountability, and reflects the diversity of society as a whole. This includes working actively with communities to document those whose voices have been overlooked or marginalized. We welcome your recommendations for how we can encourage diversity and inclusion within SAA, the archives profession, the historical record, and the communities we serve. Contact us at saahq@archivists.org.