Beck Cultural Exchange Center

The Beck Cultural Exchange Center will inventory, catalog, and the improve accessibility of its collection related to Knoxville's urban renewal program of the mid-twentieth century. The Beck collection consists of 50,000 objects documenting 226 years of local African American history and culture, including approximately 5,000 documents, photos, materials, and audiovisual recordings about the city's urban renewal program. As recommended by the Knox County Public Library, the center will hire a full-time archivist and one part-time archivist assistant to lead the project, which will include the development and implementation of policies related to the collection. The center will develop an online searchable catalog and promote community engagement by involving volunteers in project activities. With the establishment of ongoing preservation and archival practices, the Beck will be better able to maintain its record of the people, places, and effects of urban renewal and the renewal's continuing impact on the largely African American population.