Alabama Department of Archives and History624 Washington Ave, Montgomery, AL 36130

Alabama Department of Archives and History
- Oscar W. Underwood Papers (1)

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Description

Alabama created the first state department of archives and history in the United States. Founded in 1901, the Alabama Department of Archives and History became a model for many other states.

The movement to create the Alabama Archives represented a convergence of three cultural interests. The progressive movement, then spreading across the United States reflected an interest in improved education which would foster a better informed and more civic-minded citizenry. Progressives were also interested in better information for public officials to help them in decisions on public policy issues.

The second interest was the desire to preserve the material documenting service to the state in the Civil War. Through the 1890s, the feeling of a need to honor those who had served the Confederacy grew increasingly stronger. This memorial movement led to the establishment of patriotic societies, the erection of monuments, and the creation of the Department of Archives and History as an institution in which key documents and artifacts could be preserved. Over the years since 1901, this mission has broadened. The department now seeks to ensure the preservation of records and artifacts that can tell the story of all people who have contributed to the building of the state.

The third interest in the creation of the department was the need to preserve the materials necessary for understanding our history. By the turn of the twentieth century, the state of Alabama was over eighty years old and had accumulated significant bodies of historical material. Yet, there was no formal system for preserving that material and making it available for research. Also, with the growth of schools, the increase in the number of professional historians, and the professionalization of historical training and education came an expanded recognition of need for a facility where this historical material could be studied. By supporting this research and the dissemination of information about Alabama's past, the department has sought to promote a more complete and accurate understanding of Alabama history.

Source

Website: http://www.archives.alabama.gov/

Alternative Title

Alabama Department of Archives and History