There is so much speculation to be had here… mostly by Boylan… but an interesting thesis nonetheless. Just like Peter said, I would be skepticak of Helen’s writing from the jump. When I read that response I said outloud, “yes!”

Interpretation of research is revealing itself to be what is most important. Often, we are looking for evidence that…[Read more]

Using Archives

I am a newbie when it comes to archives. My first foray into archives was at the LaGuardia Wagner LGBTQIA+ Archives on Queer Queens History while doing research on my play Julio Ain’t Goin’ Down Like That. What struck me most were the documents and photographs I would not have had the chance to see had I not visited. This article…[Read more]

While I agree with Peter in a sense that archives can have bias, I don’t think there’s a way to ever be without that. As soon as a human is involved, their own interpretations and opinions start to get molded onto the task. It makes it all the more important for the archivist to attempt to separate themselves from the documents as best they can.…[Read more]

“She states that Helen and John have ‘a probable affair prior to Dolly’s [John’s first wife] death.’ (page 30) She cites no evidence for this statement.” Thank you for pointing this out! I took for granted that I’d also assumed they’d had an affair–but you are right, no evidence was cited.

I also like the way you ended your response, and I agr…[Read more]

“It is noteworthy that the cost of preservation and maintenance of material records means that those without socio-economic resources for preservation are less able to control future narrative.” Hopefully this is something that will become less of an issure as we move into the digital age. But still, how many perspectives have been lost over the…[Read more]

In reading Peter’s comments about Jimerson’s view of the archive as prison, I was reminded of the movie Angels and Demons. I didn’t particularly like the film, but there is a long scene where the Tom Hanks character and a policeman are trapped in the Vatican archives, which contain some of the oldest religious texts  in the world. The doors get…[Read more]

Thanks for your perspective (and I hope I’m not misinterpreting): Boylan herself is inserting a lot of opinion and speculation (the “probable” affair and the negative influence of Dolly).  The biographer has to draw conclusions, but these are very weak. I would be skeptical reading Helen’s writings from the start. I also think Boylan is guilty o…[Read more]

I, too, immediately thought about access to (and theft of) classified documents — in general and in that particular case. What happens if the party that is nominally in charge of the archive makes their own rules? Very frightening. It could go the other way, too: destroying/hiding records that prove corruption or abuse of power.

Thanks also for b…[Read more]

Of course among other issues and narratives raised by the first reading, one is  the narrative of women competing against each other, i.e. first wife and ex-wives against subsequent partners. How this disparaging narrative about women evolved might be worthy of investigation. The  essay doesn’t do justice to the fact that many women have played t…[Read more]

The first number is the number of the forum Forum 1, Forum 2. The repeating 2 means you need to post 2 comments as well.