With a renewed sense of urgency, the DC History Center commits to collecting a variety of voices and records. In collecting historic material and contemporary documentation, we seek to deepen existing relationships, and forge new ones, with local Black communities and other communities of color to ensure their records are maintained for posterity.
When assessing your donation for inclusion in our collections we ask that you consider the following:
For donation inquiries, please fill out the form below describing the material you wish to donate, date, record creator, size and condition, and explicit connection to DC history. Please try to be as detailed as possible and include measurements of the materials.
For book donations, please check our catalog for duplicates prior to submitting your request, and include the title, author, and publication year.
There is a lot of interest in donating to the DC History Center’s collections. Unsolicited donations cannot be accepted without prior authorization from collections staff. An offer to donate does not guarantee or confirm acceptance.
Unsolicited donations and unscheduled drop-offs will not be acknowledged. The DC History Center reserves the right to transfer or dispose of all unsolicited donations as it sees fit.
Once your email has been submitted, the collections manager will review your proposed donation and contact you if there is interest in the materials. You may be asked to provide additional follow-up information. Upon approval, collections staff will coordinate with you to receive your collections and address questions. You will sign a Temporary Custody Agreement as a written record of the donation, and follow up with the Deed of Gift after the donation is accepted. The standard Deed of Gift will legally transfer ownership of the collections to the DC History Center. Donors may choose to select a Creative Commons licensing agreement, which allows the creator to maintain copyright while still allowing others to access and credit their work. The type and terms of the Deed of Gift will be discussed with the Collections Manager as part of the donation process. Following transfer and completion of the Deed of Gift, your material will become part of the History Center’s permanent collections.
Want to know more? Visit our FAQ!
We are currently working through a backlog of requests as a result of a collecting pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate your patience as we diligently work through these requests!
If you have questions, concerns, or wish to check on the status of your proposed donation, please email collections@dchistory.org
