AARP Eye Center
“No man can know where his is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place.” -- Maya Angelou
The Opportunity
From 1830 until well after the Civil War, free, freed and fleeing Blacks gathered in regional, state and national meetings called “ Colored Conventions.” These men and women discussed and explored solutions to the problems facing African Americans during the 19 th century. They pursued justice in the courts and education, seeking to influence public opinion.
Typing the notes from these Conventions is the essence of a project called Transcribe Minutes started in 2014 by the Colo
red Conventions Project which is housed at the University of Delaware. The notes are collected and stored to make them easier to access and to preserve them well into the future.
Volunteer
Transcribe Minutes needs volunteers! This fun opportunity is open to everyone. Volunteers can work through the many fascinating pages of documents that are brimming with powerful speeches, intense debates, and the stories and lives of heroic African American citizens whose belief in the principles and values of our country defined their lives and work. Transcribe Minutes is user friendly, and comes with instructions, tips and a quick start guide.
As a volunteer on this project, you will play a crucial role in preserving history for generations to come. You can complete your volunteer work at your own pace, on your own time, in your own home. We hope you join on! Get started here: Transcribe Minutes! And contact us if you have questions!