Amplifying Voices, Reshaping Narratives: HRC Leads Conversations at National Conferences
By Chris Livingston
The HRC team was busy this summer presenting at three conferences. In July, Donato Cruz, processing archivist and research team leader, presented his housing and redlining research along with Dr. James Gregory (known for his book American Exodus: The Dust Bowl Migration and Okie Culture in California, 1989) at the Pacific Coast Branch American Historical Association Conference. The session, “Racial Restrictive Covenant Projects in Western States: Making Public History Matter,” highlighted public history initiatives across the West that uncover and share the legacy of racially restrictive housing covenants. Through mapping, archival research and community engagement, these projects reveal how housing discrimination shaped regional development and continue to influence present-day inequalities.
Chris Livingston, director of the HRC, was invited by the Society of American Archivists Archival History Section, to address the group at their annual meeting in July. His presentation reflected on how archival theory intersects with personal experience and community engagement. It also explored how critical race theory and lived experience reveal the limitations of traditional archival approaches. More importantly, the talk illustrated how community-centered archival work can challenge dominant narratives, amplify marginalized voices and reshape local memory through inclusive practices.
In August both Chris and Donato, presented at the Society of American Archivists annual conference where they shared how their housing and redlining research can be used as a model for archival practice. The session highlighted the importance of community-based archiving, inclusive descriptive standards, ethical appraisal and digital democratization of records.
New Archiving Fellowship Established with Kern River Valley Historical Society
The Historical Research Center is proud to announce the establishment of a new Archiving Fellowship in partnership with the Kern River Valley Historical Society. This milestone initiative offers graduate and upper-division students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in archival work, digitization and museum support at the Society’s Research Annex in Kernville. The fellowship, which will launch in Spring 2026, includes a $2,500 stipend per semester. Chris Livingston, HRC Director, will assist in administering the program. Applications will open in Fall 2025 via Handshake.
Exhibit Extended: “The Lonesome Trail” now on View Through December 2025
The Historical Research Center at CSU Bakersfield is pleased to announce that the exhibit "The Lonesome Trail: Arborglyphs and Basque Sheepherders in the Far West" will be extended through December 2025. This extension offers visitors additional time to explore the unique cultural and historical legacy of Basque sheepherders in the American West, as documented through their tree carvings or arborglyphs. For more information, please visit the exhibit page.
