People first, preservation later: critical community engagement to activate dialogue-based archives

Purpose This study explores whether and how archival records can address the social oppression faced by Chinese immigrants through community engagement, with the aim of fostering transformative change within marginalized communities. Design/methodology/approach Guided by Paulo Freire’s concepts of generative themes and dialogue, this community-based qualitative case study engaged seven participants in a workshop that used archival materials about Chinese immigration history. Participants interacted with three groups of materials and had collective discussions. They reflected on their perceptions of the history and stories documented in the archival materials and further shared insights on the fairness of current immigration systems, as well as potential changes necessary for a more equitable immigration system. Findings The archival records activated dialogues in which participants expressed disappointment with historical and ongoing exclusion by the government. They critiqued social beliefs such as the expectation that Asians must conform to white normativity to be accepted in the United States. Participants explored the challenges facing the community, reflected on how their experiences resonate with the archival stories and identified the “cyclical oppression” of the Chinese immigrant community. I propose this process as “dialogue-based archives,” which engages marginalized community members in conversations through archival records, fostering mutual respect, active listening, sharing of lived experiences and critical reflection on oppression. Originality/value Dialogue-based archives effectively engage marginalized communities. It also constitutes rigorous scholarship, contributing to the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) by challenging the dominant white-elitist and Euro-Anglo-centric discourse within the field and highlighting the value of archival engagement work in addressing the needs of marginalized communities. It also specifically contributes to critical archival studies by providing grassroots insights into collection building and description.