Photo postcard of Annie Wooten, circa 1920s from the Amistad Research Center, Tulane University

Photo postcard of Annie Wooten, circa 1920s from the Amistad Research Center, Tulane University


“My archival calling was, I believe, part of my spiritual calling.”
-Brenda Billups Square
Last week, we shared a story from New Orleans. The story of Leona Tate, who as a six-year-old was one of the first African American children to integrate an all-white school in New Orleans. Today we share a moment from a story about Brenda Billups Square, co-pastor of Beecher Memorial Congregational United Church of Christ and an archivist documenting New Orleans.

In 2018, we will be spending many hours with people like Brenda, as we embark on a new series for NPR called The Keepers — stories of activist archivists, rogue librarians, collectors, curators and historians — keepers of the culture and the culture and collections they keep.
We are asking for your support to help create this rich, surprising, timely series about the people and stories behind collecting and protecting our history and culture.
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