Social Movements
One area of current documentation and collecting is focused on the recent social actions taken in Troy and the Rensselaer County in response to national events. HCM collections already include materials that tell the story of past and continuing social movements, such as women’s suffrage, civil rights, pro- and antiwar movements and many other events across more than two centuries. In advocating for the future and in recognizing every face and every story, it is our responsibility as historians to recognize these and other movements that continue to impact our county, state, nation and wider world and do our best to place them in context so that a full picture of this time is preserved. As historians we are committed not only to documenting and preserving, but also to sharing the narratives of the present in ways previous movements and events have not always been able to.
The Hart Cluett Museum collects around contemporary social movements in the following ways:
Highlights the research being conducted on site regarding marginalized communities through exhibitions such as 15 Years of New Discoveries: Rensselaer County’s Black History and develops programming that provides broad access to that history
Collects objects, materials, memorabilia, and ephemera, that relate to the June 7, 2020 Rally for Black Lives and related events to document all aspects of current and ongoing social movements
Provides members and not-yet-members with opportunities to share their stories with us and develops relationships with community members to foster a stronger Rensselaer County community
Links to other efforts to tell these important stories so that comparisons and different views can be shared to build a broader understanding
We invite you to explore the important content shared with us by the Smithsonian Institution.