Content Warning
ARVAS is an aggregator of archival resources.
ARVAS does not have control of the descriptive language used in our
members’ finding aids.
Finding aids may contain historical terms and phrases, reflecting the
shared attitudes and values of the community from which they were
collected, but are offensive to modern readers.
These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and
nationality; enslaved or free status; physical or mental ability; religion;
sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.
Many institutions and organizations are in the process of reviewing and
revising their descriptive language, with the intent to describe materials
in more humanizing, inclusive, and harm-reductive ways.
As members revise their descriptive language, their changes will eventually
be reflected in their ARVAS finding aids.