Students in their final semester of College of Western Idaho’s History program enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the Idaho State Archives facility in March.
During the tour, students were able to gather research needed for their capstone projects. History major, Amanda Moorhouse, is one such student.
“The tour was very informative, insightful, and unnerving in some ways,” she said. “While there, I was able to gather sources for my essay, Reconstruction Slavery: Prison Systems in the Jim Crow South. Reading scholarly sources and primary documents online does not compare to seeing them in person! Holding the intake book of prisoners and seeing the racially-motivated incarcerations, segregation, and blatant inequality in the United States carceral system was painful and impactful.”
“It is great to get students into a historical archive early in their academic career,” said Justin Vance, Dean of Arts and Humanities. “The Idaho State Archives is an incredible example of how an archive should be run. Their preservation methods and support to research is truly top-tier.”
