Kappa Kappa Gamma launches historical digital project
Nov. 10, 2017 — Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity and its Foundation today announced it has
embarked on a ground-breaking project to build a comprehensive digital
collection that showcases its vibrant history in the context of the women’s
movement.
Through
a partnership with digital history pioneer HistoryIT, Kappa is transforming its
memorabilia, documents, scrapbooks, photographs and more into a fully
searchable digital collection that will tell the story of the organization
dating back to its founding in 1870.
“As
we prepare for the next chapter of Kappa’s history, it’s important to capture
the stories of our past,” said Beth Burkes, Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation
Executive Director. “Partnering with a cutting-edge digital history company
will enable our members to have the entirety of Kappa’s history, including the
local chapter narrative, available at their fingertips by our Sesquicentennial
in 2020.”
Kappa
is the first Greek-letter organization to commit to preserving its extensive
archives in its entirety for future generations while also using archival
resources in innovative ways to support work with members and alumnae. Plans for
this project also call for digital exhibits, education modules and interactive
experiences.
“In
Kappa, we found a forward-looking organization eager to preserve its history,
both as a way of engaging its members and as a way of sharing the myriad ways
in which it has long supported the social and intellectual growth of women,”
said Kristen Gwinn-Becker, HistoryIT chief executive officer. “It’s a great
pleasure to work with partners who recognize the value of their heritage.”
In
addition to presenting archives in an accessible way, HistoryIT provides its
clients with high-resolution images stored on digital files to ensure that
historical collections are secure in the event physical assets are destroyed
due to aging, fire or some other disaster.
“There
are thousands of stories buried in Kappa’s archival collection that we don’t
want to lose,” Burkes continued. “Such as the story of member Mareta Nelle West,
the geologist who selected the landing site for Apollo 11 and other manned
missions to the moon. Or of member Jane Emig Ford, who at 105 pounds and five
feet tall signed up immediately after graduation to serve with the Red Cross
during World War II and drove the first Red Cross clubmobile over the Burma
Road. Once the digital archive of Kappa is complete, these stories will come to
life on screen in a whole new way. It is truly an exciting project to embark
upon.”