Radical Trust: Access Services and Archives Engaged in Carceral Collecting

Abstract

Access services policies at academic archives in the United States are, in many ways, informed by carceral logics. This essay explores the ethical implications of upholding such policies for academic archives engaged in the growing realm of carceral collecting. Drawing from sources in trauma theory, abolitionist and Black feminism, and critical race theory, the possibility of providing equal access in an unequal society is questioned. Opportunities for further work to increase inclusivity at archives engaged in carceral collecting are offered. These suggestions are aligned with the goal of making archives documenting the history of incarceration and abolitionist thought and action accessible to the individuals for whom the material is most urgently needed to expedite their liberation.