Harmful Language Statement 

 

If you encounter harmful or offensive language in finding aids, digitized collections, or any other material presented by Mercer University’s Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives, please feel free to provide feedback by emailing us at archives@mercer.edu, or calling us at (478) 301-2968.  

While arranging and organizing archival collections, Mercer University’s archivists and staff must make decisions about the language used in describing collections. The terms chosen must accurately describe materials such as books, records, papers, or photos, while also accurately and respectfully describing the people or groups that these materials represent. When providing additional context about the materials, some language might be re-used from previous or original owners of the collections. Our primary intention when describing archival materials is to be aware of the language that we use and its effect on the users of our archive, as well as preserving original context.