ViewsWatchers |
The Alabama Department of Archives and History is the official repository of archival records for the U.S. state of Alabama. Under the direction of Thomas M. Owen its founder, the agency received state funding by an act of the Alabama Legislature on February 27, 1901. Its primary mission is the collecting and preserving of archives, documents and artifacts relating to the history of the state. It was the first publicly funded, independent state archives agency in the United States. It subsequently became a model for the establishment of archives in other states. Today the agency identifies, preserves, and makes accessible records and artifacts significant to the history of the state and serves as the official repository for records created by Alabama's state agencies.[1] The Alabama Department of Archives and History was established by an act of the legislature on February 27, 1901. According to the enabling legislation, one of the purposes of the department was "...the collection of materials bearing upon the history of the state and of the territory therein from the earliest times." Additionally, the department was empowered to "...diffuse knowledge in reference to the history and resources of the state." The collecting of artifacts related to Alabama history serves two functions, both of which were clearly set forth in the early guidelines and are represented by the current mission statement:
The collection and preservation of artifacts ensures that these materials will be maintained for scholarly study and analysis and for general interpretation and education through museum exhibits.
|