THE HE INCLUSION OF THE MEMORY OF BLACK PEOPLE IN ARCHIVES

THE PERSONAL ARCHIVE OF IRACEMA PENHA DE PAULA

Abstract

This article analyzes the process of acquiring private documents by the Public and Historical Archive of the Municipality of Rio Claro (APHRC), with an emphasis on the donation of personal photographs related to the preservation of the collective memory of the Black community. The study sought to understand the importance of the personal documentary record of Iracema Penha de Paula for valuing the experiences, trajectories, and lived experiences of the Black community of Rio Claro. The general objective is to analyze the acquisition of personal documents by the Public and Historical Archive of the Municipality of Rio Claro (APHRC) as a means of disseminating the affective memories of the Black community of Rio Claro. This is a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study, employing a single-case study and documentary research as methodological strategies. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview with Maria Teresa de Arruda Campos, former Superintendent of the APHRC (2009–2016). As preliminary findings, it was observed that the strategies adopted by the archival institution for acquiring personal archives from the Black community demonstrated flexibility, seeking to expand and facilitate this population’s participation in the process of building the archival collection. Rather than requiring the definitive donation of the documents, the institution prioritized their digitization and access documentary collection, adopting a more flexible and inclusive strategy. This initiative strengthened the preservation and visibility of the life history of this Black woman in movement, whose trajectory is articulated through political participation, carnival, and other dimensions of social life of Rio Claro.