Systemic Racial Bias in the Archives: An Interview (2020)
CPL’s Archivist Alyssa Pacy was recently invited by artist and activist Lori Lander to discuss race in Cambridge during Lander’s breakfast gatherings- weekly conversations on pressing local and national issues. In conversation with pubic historian Diana Lempel, Alyssa discusses racial bias in archives in general and the work she is doing at the CPL to remedy it by highlighting recently donated collections from Cambridge’s African American Community.
Archiving the Diverse History of a Community (2020)
As the archivist at the Cambridge Public Library, Alyssa Pacy '06MS, '07MA, has worked to collect and curate an archive that represents the diversity of the city of Cambridge where anyone in the city can come in and view their own history. Alyssa graduated from the Simmons Library and Information Science Program with dual degrees in Archives Management and History.
Stories from the Archives: The History of Voting in Cambridge for African Americans and Women (2019)
In the premiere episode of Stories from the Archives, CPL archivist Alyssa Pacy discusses the history of voting for African Americans and Women in Cambridge. Hosted and written by Alyssa Pacy, Archivist at the Cambridge Public Library. Produced by Peter Levine, Media Production Educator at Cambridge Community Television
Special: The Cambridge Room and City Archives (2017)
Alyssa Pacy describes her role as an archivist and how to access The Cambridge Room in the Cambridge Public Library. This piece was produced by Cambridge Community Television for the City of Cambridge, MA. This film won 1st place PSA Short Program at the 2018 Alliance for Community Media New England Regional Video Festival.
Women, Immigration, and Cambridge: The East End Christian Union (2012)
As part of Cambridge Discovery Days 2012, Siobhan Bredin attended a tour of the photo and document archives of The East End Christian Union, founded in 1875, at the Cambridge Public Library on August 4th. "The depth of this collection is impressive" said Alyssa Pacy, CPL Archivist. "Although it is a small collection, there is a wide range of photos and documents, primarily from the early years of the twentieth century, that show children participating in music, cooking, and a variety of other educational activities." The organization was founded to provide education and training for immigrant and low income children and women in Cambridge, and still exists today as The East End House. This piece was produced by Siobhan Bredin for Cambridge Community Television for the City of Cambridge, MA.
Cambridge READs presents a Living History of the Civil War (2011)
On Saturday, Nov 5, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, hosted a living history of the Civil War from one of New England’s largest Civil War re-enactor groups, the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The lawn in front of the library was turned into Camp Cameron (Cambridge’s Civil War barracks) where the re-enactors portrayed army life on the march and in the field through first person demonstration, story, song and poetry. The 22nd Massachusetts civilian group explored the war’s impact on the lives of those on the home front along with women’s volunteer efforts, including the creation of the United States Sanitary Commission.
The Cambridge Room is open during the following hours and by appointment:
Monday 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Tuesday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Wednesday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Call to speak with Cambridge Room staff at 617-349-7757
