Published: January 15, 2023 by Melissa Prunty Kemp

Archivists and records managers wait each year for the announcement on the location of our esteemed and informative conference – the annual Society of American Archivists (SAA) Archives – Records Meeting.  This year, the week – long meeting will be held in Washington DC, with the famed Washington Hilton slated as the conference host venue.  

You might be familiar with this historical lodging as the location of the National Prayer Breakfast, the White House Correspondents Dinner, and the 1981 assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan. Originally part of the “Widow’s Mite,” the location became the Oak Lawn estate that sat on what is today some of DC’s poshest locations, including Dupont Circle and Connecticut Ave. The Hilton was designed by William B. Tabler, Sr., early American architect who designed 400 hotels, including the New York Hilton Midtown. The Washington Hilton is a must-see and must-stay location.  

Last year’s Archives – Records 2022 meeting was held in Boston and attended by thousands.  As the SAA continues to be sensitive to COVID-19 safety precautions and to the strong desires of its members to return to in-person meetings, a hybrid conference model offering virtual webinar access was offered, a feature that maintains the increased access born from pandemic necessity. Archives – Records 2023 offers the same hybrid registration options at reduced rates for those who cannot travel.  

Calls for conference proposal submissions were due in December 2022, but some conference program proposals and poster opportunities are still available here. Graduate students can participate in and are encouraged to submit proposals and posters to this meeting.  

Travel assistance is also being offered through the provisions of four diverse travel grant opportunities. MARA students are encouraged to apply for one of the following available opportunities:

 

Brenda S. Banks Travel Award

The Brenda S. Banks Travel Award recognizes and acknowledges individuals, such as those of African, Asian, Latinx, Middle Eastern/North African, Native American, Alaska Native, or Pacific Islander descent, who have demonstrated professional archival experience and who manifest an interest in becoming active members of SAA. Recipients receive full complimentary registration and related expenses for hotel and travel to attend the SAA Annual Meeting during the year in which the award is received. In addition, recipients receive a complimentary one-year membership in SAA.

Click here to preview the application and/or to apply for the Brenda S. Banks Travel Award. All applications must include the following:

Personal statement/essay of no more than 500 words;

CV or resume. 

If you have any questions regarding the award or the application process, please contact Annie Reid, Brenda S. Banks Travel Award Committee Chair, at areid1@usfca.edu.

 

Donald Peterson Student Travel Award  

This award supports students and recent graduates from graduate archival programs within North America to attend SAA’s Annual Meeting. This participation must include either a presentation of research during the Annual Meeting or active participation in an SAA-sponsored committee, section, or roundtable. 

Click here to preview the application and/or apply for the Donald Peterson Student Travel Award. All applications must include the following:

A 500-word essay describing the applicant’s career goals and potential impact on the archival profession.

Unofficial transcript to verify student status or copy of graduate diploma.

Two letters of recommendation from individuals having definite knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications.

If you have any questions regarding the award or the application process, please contact Jessica Hornbuckle, Donald Peterson Student Travel Award Committee Chair, at jhornbuckle@berry.edu.

 

Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award

The Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award recognizes and acknowledges graduate students of color, and seeks to promote their participation in SAA and in the archival profession. Up to two awards may be given during an awards cycle. Recipients receive full complimentary registration and related expenses for hotel and travel to attend the SAA Annual Meeting during the year in which the award is received. In addition, each recipient receives a complimentary one-year membership in SAA.

Please note that this year, in an effort to encourage the broadest and most inclusive pool of applicants, the awards committee has removed the requirement for official transcripts and letters of recommendation. Learn more about the Pinkett Award and preview the application.

All applications must include the following:

Personal statement/essay of no more than 500 words discussing your experiences with and/or commitment to working with, or documenting and preserving, the histories of communities of color.

CV or résumé.  

If you have any questions regarding the award or the application process, please contact Shelly Black, Pinkett Award Committee Chair, at syblack@ncsu.edu. 

 

Oliver Wendell Holmes Award  

The Oliver Wendell Holmes Award enables international archivists, who are currently training or studying in the United States or Canada, to augment their experience by traveling to the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists. Recipients receive a certificate and a cash award of $1,000 to help cover costs of the SAA Annual Meeting for archives students who are not U.S. or Canadian citizens (or permanent residents) and are studying in the United States or Canada. Self-nominations are welcome.

Please click here for additional details and to preview the online application for the Holmes Award. All applications must include the following:

Personal statement/essay;

CV or resume. 

If you have any questions regarding the award or the application process, please contact Biz Gallo, Oliver Wendell Holmes Award Committee Chair, at gallob@michigan.gov.