Help Graduate Students Gain Professional Experience

Dr. David B. Gracy II working at GSU in 1972In honor of the 50th anniversary of Special Collections & Archives at Georgia State University, we are supporting the Dr. David B. Gracy II Graduate Research Assistantship for Special Collections and Archives. 

To celebrate our founding archivist, Dr. David B. Gracy II, these gifts will help support a GSU graduate student as they create innovative new ways of promoting the importance of archives throughout the Atlanta community. 

Dr. Gracy was hired in 1971, by then Library Director, William R. Pullen to found the Southern Labor and University Archives. In addition to building the archives at Georgia State University, Dr. Gracy taught archival enterprise and history courses at GSU and DeKalb Community College (later Georgia Perimeter College and now part of GSU). He went on to teach archival enterprise courses at the University of Texas at Austin. He was a lifelong advocate for societal understanding of archives and the archival profession. The creation of this Graduate Research Assistantship is a befitting honor to his legacy of teaching and advocacy.

Dr. Gracy dedicated his life to archival education and the education of the next generation of archivists. As a Graduate Research Assistant in Special Collections & Archives, this potential future archivist will engage in tasks such as planning and executing outreach efforts, and promoting the collections, under the mentorship of experienced, professional archivists. State University Library - Special Collections & Archives

Deniseya Hall working with oral histories to develop a podcast for Special Collections & Archives

 "As the current Graduate Research Assistant, I have had the opportunity to work with unique historical collections and reveal their hidden histories. I used my training as a public historian to develop self-conscious and inclusive narratives that amplify marginalized voices. Working in Special Collections has helped me prepare for my career by building hands-on experience with archives and exhibitions and has helped me improve my interpretation skills to work with an assortment of histories. The Dr. David B. Gracy II Graduate Research Assistantship for Special Collections and Archives will help other dedicated historians like me gain career experience and relieve some of their financial stressors, allowing them to fully focus on their important interpretive work. A gift to this project will help build the next generation of archivists and preserve the stories within our Special Collections." 

 - Deniseya Hall, Georgia State University '21

The Library has raised almost $20,000 toward its goal of $25,000 to establish a new endowed GRA position. To reach the minimum endowment level, we need to raise $6,000 more by June 30, 2023.