Graduate student Lauretta King began her journey at New Mexico State University by working as an administrative assistant in the Black Programs Office in spring 2022. King never expected that through this job she would discover historical documents stored for decades and archive various documents preserving the decades-long history of NMSU’s Black Program, “Launching a Legacy: Black Programs and Communities.”
“Being part of this collection has been the highlight of my life. I’ve learned so much and being able to share that is a key component in all of this,” she said. “It’s a project for Black programs, but it’s also everyone’s project. I think historic preservation is one of the most important things we can do to understand how we got to where we are today.”
When King began working as an administrative assistant, the Black Programs Office made its long-awaited move from Garcia Hall to new office space in the Corbett Center Student Union, and in the process, King discovered several file cabinets, desk drawers and boxes filled with documents, some dating back to the 1960s.
“There was a large gap, but we were able to make it to 2022,” she said. “I learned that those documents should have been moved for safekeeping decades ago. I requested that the Black Programs documents be considered for archiving because I felt they held historical importance as a record of the presence and evolution of the African American community at NMSU. Although African American students make up no more than 4% of the total student population, they contributed to a rich experience at NMSU. I felt in my heart that losing or destroying these documents would erase an important part of NMSU’s diverse past.”
With the approval of Greg Armfield, dean of the Graduate School of Communication Studies, and Theresa Maria “Linda” Scholz, NMSU’s vice president for equity, inclusion and diversity, King began the relocation and preservation of these historical documents as part of her graduate studies.
In the fall semester of 2022, King removed the boxes that had been stored for safekeeping and, with the help of Denise Daly, head of archives and special collections, moved them to Branson Library, where they will be kept in the collection forever. Since then, King has been learning what it takes to expertly preserve and archive more than 50 years of Black program history.
“It’s been an amazing experience. I knew it would take time, but the help, support and belief in the program and project that I’ve received from the Archives and Special Collections department has been truly amazing,” King said. “I was given the Archives 101 book so I could learn how to archive properly. I literally had to start from scratch and understand four different processes to get it out of the box and into a state where it can be presented as a research collection. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
King said the project taught him a lot, including the importance of perseverance, but also provided him with a unique personal experience.
“I always say that if you find something you love, it’s not work while you’re doing it. At this stage in my life, it’s good to do this because it allows me to relive part of my history,” she said. “I understand what it was like living in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s and I compare it to the Black students who were trying to find their way at Southwestern, navigating the newly changed laws and everything else that was going on at the time. It was quite an adventure.”
Some of the most interesting documents are from the beginning of the Black program at NMSU.
“Looking back to the 1960s when the program began, there was a lot going on in that time,” she said. “What were the expectations of black people who were leaving their communities and coming into a whole new environment? What were the expectations? What were the nuances of how to behave and how to assimilate into a society that wasn’t theirs?”
Other documents describe how the university responded to changes in outside influences, budgets and expenses, events, publications, recruiting and retention, and changes in federal and state laws, and how black students have had to adapt to shifting racial dynamics.
“It was completely foreign to them. You can change laws, but you can’t change hearts. So that’s what black students who came to this university at the time saw a lot of this when they first came in,” she said.
King looked into the longstanding history of Black programs stored at NMSU and discovered about 20 years of history that was lost during a 2003 house-cleaning project.
“The loss of these materials makes it even more important that they are kept safe and placed where they can be found,” King said. “Though separated by time, many of the documents reveal that the Las Cruces community demonstrated strong support for programs to assist Black people, especially financially.”
“They helped with projects they wanted to experience and were very involved in donations and making sure things were going well. There was a lot to learn about the symbiotic relationship between the university, the outside community, and Black students. We updated that and made sure student voices were heard. Their voices are being heard, but action may be limited. It may take some time to figure out how to execute, but their voices are being heard.”
King said the goal of the project is not just to preserve documents, but to support future university research and help NMSU’s community of Black students, faculty and staff further their social and academic capacities.
“Take something tangible, hold onto it, and understand that it’s part of how you got to where you are,” she said. “There were a lot of people who were ahead of their time, and when people downplay what they brought to the table, we lose the opportunity to speak to them. Now is the time to look at those things. Where do you find them? Not everything is on the internet. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty in the newspapers.”
