Week 6: Investigation

 Hello, all!

In my last post I mentioned that I would soon have the opportunity, alongside my peers in the Veterans History Project, to not only visit the Orange County Regional History Center, but to also investigate some of the behind-the-scenes work and thought processes behind organizing and curating exhibits, as well as the archiving methodology and intentions for the artifacts collected by the museum. This Tuesday, the Veterans History Project engaged in such a wonderful opportunity offered to us, and it was everything I had hoped for an more! Thanks to the time, effort, and kindness of the experts working, interning, and volunteering at the History Center we had the opportunity to engage with pieces of historical artifacts from various time periods, including but not limited to World War I, World War II, the Gulf Wars, and many other conflicts. The link between all of the pieces the History Center is able to present us with is their connections to Orange County residents, their families, and their stories. Some of the artifacts we had the opportunity to ask about, as well as handle personally, were flags from South Vietnam, vests from service members in Afghanistan, periscopes of soldiers facing trench warfare, and letters sent from other members of service back home while they were away. It is so impactful to see the broad and varied connections so many different people, of all walks of life, share with Orlando and Orange County at large. 

While showcasing these items, the experts at the History Center also provided us the opportunity for a Q&A session; members of the VHP were given the opportunity to ask those with years more of experience and expertise anything we would like to know about their field. I was personally curious as to how the state of politics today, where the general public is less willing to trust, or frankly less interested in, the work of experts who have dedicated years to curating and archiving information for the sake of protection and public use. Is it more difficult now to present oneself as an objective informant? From the perspective of these History Center, the work itself hasn't changed, "only how people talk about us". Guests may be, and may have always been, combative, about sensitive and personal areas in history, but the job of providing information for the general public to reflect on at their desire and leisure has not changed. I find this inspiring; knowing that no matter how the times may change, it is a historians duty to simply collect, inform, and protect information so that anyone can reflect on it and broaden their understanding of the world and those they share it with.