Megan's Blog

Archives are an important asset to studying history and preserving the past because they provide more concrete samples of information to analyze. I like to think of archives as a physical version of notes, since they are the most legitimate form of original source material. Archiving tragic events of the past, such as the Virginia Tech shooting or September 11th are even more touching because they bring their audience back to these difficult times. However, I think are necessary in allowing for those who were affected to grieve and reflect, while allowing others to study the events and their impact on society. Therefore, they act as a memorial as well as a form of research.

While I was able to appreciate the archives dedicated to the Virginia Tech shooting and Hurricane Katrina, as an American and a New Yorker the September 11th Remembrance archive touched me on a more personal level. I’m from Long Island, New York, about and hour and a half outside of New York City, and I know several people who were directly affected by the attacks that day. For example, watching the interviews of those in Chinatown who were impacted by the attacks for some time after September 11th brought back memories of friends I knew whose families were not the same well after the tragedy. It also demonstrates the immensity of the attacks on the city of New York as a whole, as well as the surrounding area. Looking through the archive takes me back to that day, and I can only imagine what it does for those who were there or have lost loved ones. However, just as it is necessary to analyze tragedies of the past via discussion or readings books, archives serve as a solid source of analysis. They are more helpful in reinforcing the idea that history repeats itself. Through studying events such as these tragedies in a more direct form, future generations will not forget these horrors. Hopefully one day, they will learn to prevent them.

~ by mmaggi117 on November 18, 2012 .