Skyla S. Hearn: Archives of an Archival Fellow Pt.I

Mos Def aka Yasiin Bey: Life In Marvelous Times

Feeling Great, Feeling Good. How are You?

We should mark the moments that make our lives exceptional. We often make significant strides to discuss, sometimes at length, the situations and people that have upset us, caused stress, turmoil and dismay. Ultimately, I feel the need to celebrate myself and to celebrate all the people who enable positivity, good feelings and continued happiness that continuously flows through my life source. Like they say, sometimes the smallest things are the biggest and most important. What seems least significant makes strongest impressions. Life is a continuous walk and I'm always prepared for a journey.

The Highlights

Last Thursday, Ms. Beverly Cook, one of my supervisors here at the Woodson Regional Library/Harsh Research Center, and I took a mini-road trip from the south side of Chicago to the North West suburb of Wheaton to acquire the remaining archival collection of Mrs. Glennette Tilly Turner, an educator and historian. If I were to give you one piece of advice, it would be to never trust MapQuest directions. Despite getting turned around several times before reaching Mrs. Tilly Turner's home, we had quite the enjoyable afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Turner greeted us with warmth, hospitality, tea and ginger bread muffins. In addition, we were extended an invitation to a home cooked meal and to take part in having lunch with friends. Included in the friends were Mrs. Vera and Mrs. Darwin McBeth Walton. What a treat to dine and conversate with such outspoken, exceptional, extremely enlightened, and remarkable women. (Mr. Turner left us ladies to "our time".) Before Thursday, I had (what I thought to be) little knowledge of Mrs. Tilly Turner's contributions and even less knowledge of Mrs. McBeth Walton's. The truth is I knew more about Mrs. Tilly Turner than I realized but some how blocked the information while in her presence, which was that of grace and greatness. When Ms. Cook asked if I wanted to be a part of an "acquistion mission" I jumped at the opportunity because (1) I like to acquire things; (2) I like to interact with people; and (3) I understand the importance of Creators/Donors feeling connected to either the repository or the staff of the repository where their archival collections will be housed. I consider getting to know Creators/Donors an added plus especially since they are entrusting assets to us and are still alive! I didn't take too much time "researching" Mrs. Tilly Turner becasue I wanted to hear from her what I hadn't learned from readings and conversations with Mr. Michael Flug, Archivist Emeritus.

You see, I'm star-struck by people like Mrs. Tilly Turner, Mrs. McBeth Walton, Aaron McGruder (before cartoon network) and so on... They are truly inspirational forces that support original thinking, education, and so on...

Mrs. Glennette Tilly Turner

Mrs. Darwin McBeth Walton