Brooklyn Historical Society is actively collecting material related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is impacting daily life on an unprecedented scale. Their goal is to document and preserve the collective experiences of our community during the crisis, including the health, economic, social, political, and religious impacts of COVID-19 on our borough.
They invite and encourage the public to share your thoughts, stories, and the material you have collected or created related to COVID-19 in Brooklyn.
CONTRIBUTING DIGITAL CONTENT
If you are interested in sharing digital content such as photographs, videos, and audio clips, please use our online submission form here. Digital content may be shared through our online collections platforms and social media accounts.
CONTRIBUTING PHYSICAL ITEMS
BHS is very interested in collecting physical items in the future. Due to BHS’s temporary closure, it cannot accept physical materials at this time. When it re-opens to the public, BHS will provide information about how to drop-off or mail your items.
Suggested materials, physical or digital, include:
- Artifacts
- Artistic reflections (e.g. rainbow artwork)
- Business and restaurant signage about closures, fundraising initiatives, social distancing measures, and amended menus
- Government issued posters, reports, and decrees concerning public health and safety
- Grocery store lists and receipts
- Housing-related material, such as rent abatements, strikes and eviction notices
- Local and mutual aid organizations’ flyers, newsletters, mass mailings, records, and reports
- Lesson plans and other educational material related to remote learning and homeschooling
- Personal correspondence and journals
- Photographs of closed businesses, hospitals and temporary medical facilities, social distancing, homeschooling, and religious activity
- Video and audio diaries, journal entries, and reflections
Submitted materials will be reviewed by Collections staff, and may be added to our permanent collections. Items may be shared on social media. Material mailed to BHS without prior communication with BHS staff cannot be added to our collections or returned to sender. If you have questions about this collecting initiative, or BHS’s terms and conditions, please reach out to library@brooklynhistory.org.